Soul Mates
by FJS
Summary: Fran must travel to New Orleans to receive an inheritance from her uncle. What will happen when Max accompanies her? Mostly rated T, some rated M to be safe.
1. Soul Mateys

I don't own these characters, I wish I did. All I own is the boat that Fran inherited! I decided to bring them down to my house to play for a little while. Most of the places mentioned are real, including the wonderful B&B, The House on Bayou Road.

UPDATE:

This story was originally published on the RUNHP several years ago, prior to Hurricane Katrina. Many of the places mentioned in here no longer exist.

**Soul Mateys**

Chapter One

Fran was sitting in the kitchen sipping tea and filing her nails, when Niles came in holding a large manila envelope. "Miss Fine, a messenger just delivered this for you".

"Wha?" "Who would be sending me something anything important enough for a messenger?" Fran took the envelope and looked at the return address. "It's from some attorney in New Orleans!" "Oy, I haven't been there in years...maybe I forget to pay a parking ticket?" She laughed and lightly slapped Niles in the ribs with the back of her hand. She took a sip of tea and used her nail file to open the envelope. She pulled out the contents and frowned as she started to read the cover letter. "Oh, Niles...is Mr. Sheffield still in his office?"

"Yes, Miss Fine, he's been on the phone with his costumers all morning."

"I need to talk to him about this, I'm gonna need some time off to go to New Orleans. My uncle, Leo died and left me something from his estate!"

Fran took the stack of legal papers and headed for Mr. Sheffield's office. The kids were away for a month at summer camp, maybe this would be easier than she thought. She dreaded leaving for any amount of time; she had hoped that the time they were able to spend together with no kids around would help get them closer. "Yeah, like THAT's gonna happen", she sighed.

She reached the open office door and looked inside. Maxwell was sitting at his desk, going over some papers. She stood and admired how handsome he was for a full minute before disturbing him. He was so adorable when he was so focused on his work!

"Mr. Sheffield, do you have a few minutes...I have a problem."

"I always have time for you, Miss Fine. What's the problem?"

"My uncle Leo died in Louisiana, and I've been named in his will. I'm supposed to go to New Orleans and meet with his lawyer and pick up the items he left me. It shouldn't take me more than a week to get everything settled....I think...his lawyer sent me these...can you look at them for me?" She held out the legal papers that she had received earlier.

"New Orleans, Miss Fine?" "That's no place for a woman alone!" "You can't handle this over the phone?" Fran handed him the papers and he read the cover letter. "Oh, I see, you must meet with the attorney in person. Well, I can't let you go alone; maybe Val or your mother can go with you?"

"No, Val is away with her parents, and Ma is in Boca visiting Uncle Jack." Fran lowered her head and lifted her eyes up to meet his. "I'll be O.K. alone, really, Mr. Sheffield. I've been there before."

Max sighed. New Orleans in the spring. Mardi Gras was over, but wasn't there some sort of Jazz Festival going on? Thousands of tourists, parties, men? He knew what he had to do. "Miss Fine, the children won't be back from camp for another month, and I've just about got things at the theater under control. C.C. can handle everything from here. Why don't I go with you to, uh, make sure everything goes smoothly at the lawyer's office?" He couldn't tell her he wanted to go to make sure she didn't get into any trouble, or meet some man!

"Oh, Mr. Sheffield, that would be wonderful!" She tried to hide how excited she actually was. New Orleans with Mr. Sheffield for at least a week. This had promise!

"Niles!"

"Yes, sir?"

"I'd like to you make reservations for a flight and hotel for Miss Fine and myself." We'll be leaving tomorrow and staying...let's make it two weeks...to make sure we get all the legal business handled"

Niles smiled. "Yes, sir, right away!" Legal business indeed! He knew that if Miss Fine had her way, more than LEGAL business would be handled, and he knew just how to help her along!

Niles got on the phone and tried a couple of New Orleans hotels. All booked for Jazz Fest, just as he suspected. He asked for a nice, romantic Bed and Breakfast, and was directed to The House on Bayou Road. He called and found out that one spot was available...the private Creole cottage called Bayou Self. "Reservations for two, for two weeks, arriving tomorrow." Alright_, Miss Fine, the ball's in your court now!_

Niles completed the plane reservations, booking the two of them first class seats into Louis Armstrong International, and then arranged a limo ride to the B&B. Now how to tell Mr. Sheffield...no, I'll give the paperwork to Miss Fine, and she can file it away with her legal papers, and he won't know what hit him until it's too late!

Niles brought the "hotel" reservation paper work up to Miss Fine's room, where she was attempting to pack. She had enough clothes on her bed for a month. "Miss Fine, I'm sure the hotel will have a laundry service, so you don't have to take everything you own!"

"Oh, Niles, two weeks alone in New Orleans with Mr. Sheffield...I want everything to be perfect! What should I take? I don't want to appear too eager and scare him off!"

"Miss Fine, remember it's warm and humid in the south, dress light and comfortable. Here is your hotel information; I'm putting it in the envelope with the information for your attorney."

"Thanks, Niles...just don't torment poor Ms. Babcock too much while we're gone!" She gave him a big hug.

Niles grinned...he was so busy plotting romance for Miss Fine and Mr. Sheffield, he'd completely forgot he'd be alone with C.C. for two weeks! Now the wheels really started to turn! He had to come up with something special for her!

Fran finally finished with her packing. She'd narrowed down her wardrobe, and finally ended up with only two suitcases for clothes, and one for her grooming supplies. She smiled at a job well done, and fell into bed and into a deep sleep.

The next morning she awoke with a start...her luggage was gone! Then she heard a tapping on her door. "Miss Fine?" It was Mr. Sheffield. We have to leave for the airport in 90 minutes...you'd better get up and start getting ready...Niles already took your luggage down to the limo!"

"I'm up, just getting into the shower!" Ninety minutes, and they'd be on their way! She danced into the bathroom and took a nice warm shower, put on her makeup, and then decided on a comfortable jogging suit for the flight. With the time change, it would only be a two-hour flight, but she wanted to be able to relax. She grabbed her paperwork for the lawyer and stuffed it into her carryon bag, and bounced down the stairs. There he was...in his blue jeans and a t-shirt...she let out a small groan, she loved him in jeans!

Max took her carry on for her and set it by the door. "Niles has prepared us a light breakfast, if you're hungry, Miss Fine."

If she was hungry. "How long you known me?" She grinned as she headed into the dining room for a waffle and fruit. She tried to avoid looking at Mr. Sheffield, she knew he could read her eyes, and she didn't want to let him know just how much she was looking forward to this trip with him. Little did either one of them know what was waiting for them in New Orleans! They both ate quickly and quietly. When they had finished, Max broke the silence.

"Ready to go, Miss Fine?" "Did you remember to bring the documents for the lawyer?"

"Yes, they're in my carry on, I'm all ready!" She looked at him and smiled. Here we go!

He took her by the hand and they walked to the door. He picked up both of their carryon bags, tossed them over his shoulder, and they headed to the limo. They made small talk on the way to Queens to the airport. Niles sat in the driver's seat praying Mr. Sheffield wouldn't bring up the hotel, and find out about the romantic hideaway until it was too late to do anything about it. Good luck finding different lodgings during Jazz Fest! He smiled again...he hoped things went well...if they did, he'd get a raise, if not, well, he'd be fired for the hundredth time!

When they got to the airport, Niles gave the bags to the porter, and gave Miss Fine a big hug. "I hope everything turns out well for you!" She just smiled at him and hugged him back.

"Be good!"

Then Fran and Max headed to the terminal to pick up their tickets and board the plane. They found their seats, and Max stowed their carryon bags in the overhead. Fran had already gotten her headphones and was ready to listen to some music on the flight, and get a little sleep. Max sat down beside her, pushed his seat back and tried to sleep himself. All he could do was stare at her. God, she was beautiful! He finally closed his eyes and tried to push the thoughts he was having out of his head.

They both jumped when the plane touched down. They gathered their luggage and headed for the security gate, where they found their limo driver holding a sign that spelled out SHEFFIELD. "Where to, sir?" he asked Max.

"Oh, Niles gave me the information...where is it, oh, yeah!" Fran dug into her carryon, pulled out the hotel information and gave it to the driver. He read the paper and smiled at the two of them. He was familiar with this particular B&B. "Would you like me to drive straight there, or would you like a small tour first?"

Max looked at Fran. "What do you think? A nice drive around the city first?"

Fran nodded. "I've been here once before, but it was a long time ago, I don't remember where anything is." She grinned. "Except for Cafe duMonde!"

Max laughed. Only Fran Fine could be in one of the oldest, most beautiful cities in the world, and only remember where to find fresh donuts!

The driver drove them into the French Quarter, then down by the lakefront, showing them the marinas, and all the waterfront restaurants. "The local seafood is excellent here. The Dock offers lake and gulf shrimp, crab and oysters, and Louisiana crawfish".

Fran's mouth was watering. She could already taste the seafood. She gave Max a hungry look.

"Alright, Miss Fine, let's get settled in our hotel rooms, and then I'll take you out for seafood!"

The driver finished his tour of the lakefront, and then headed up City Park Ave to Carrollton Ave. They crossed a bridge over Bayou St. John, then made a couple more turns, then turned into a driveway of a very old looking home. "Here you are, sir, ma'am".

Maxwell was now concerned. "What is this place?"

"It's your B&B, sir, The House on Bayou Road. Your wife gave me the reservation form".

Max looked at Fran and frowned.

"Don't look at me! I never even looked at that paper! I was packing, and Niles came in and put it into my envelope...uh, oh!" Fran immediately knew that Niles had set them up. Max was still somewhat clueless.

"Oh, well, let's go see what our rooms are like, if we don't like them, one night won't kill us, right, Miss Fine?"

"Absolutely, Mr. Sheffield!"

They entered the house and the driver followed to check on where to take their luggage. As Max and Fran waited, the driver was told to take the suitcases to Bayou Self. He looked at them and smiled. Rooms, boy, will THEY be surprised!

Max signed them in, and Fran watched as he had some words with the manager. He walked over to her, frowning again.

"What now?" She asked him.

Niles is so fired when we get home. He took her by the hand. "Come on, follow me, we'll have to make the best of this!" She followed him down a path, past a pond and a beautiful garden. So peaceful, so secluded. Then she saw the cottage. The door was open for them, their luggage inside of the most beautiful, romantic room she'd ever seen. There was a queen-sized feather bed, a fireplace,and Jacuzzi for two.

"Um, where's the other room, Mr. Sheffield?" The look he gave her spoke volumes. "Oh, no, Niles!"

"Yes, Niles! AND I've been informed that there are NO other rooms available in the entire city due to this Jazz Fest thing that's going on!"

Fran knew she had to lighten his mood. "How about I put our things away while you rest a bit, and then you promised to take me for seafood!"

Max smiled. She always knew just what to say. He took off his shoes and lay down on the bed. Oh, this was nice. He closed his eyes and could hear Fran moving quietly around the room. She found the CD player and the CDs, and put on some soft, relaxing music. He drifted off into a light sleep. He woke to the softness of her fingers on his face.

"Mr. Sheffield, are you ready to get up?" He opened his eyes, and she had cleaned up and dressed for dinner. He took her hand and squeezed it.

"Yes, thank you for letting me rest, I didn't realize how tired I was!" He got up and went into the bathroom to change for dinner. A few minutes later, he emerged, looking amazingly handsome. "Ready, Miss Fine?"

"Absolutely! I'm famished!"

They caught a cab to The Dock, which is known for its fabulous local seafood.

"What looks good, Miss Fine?" Max had his head buried in his menu.

Fran looked up and smiled at him. _What looks good, you mean, besides YOU?_ Focus on the menu, Fran! "Well, I've never had boiled crawfish and I love shrimp and crab...I can't decide!"

"Well, what about the boiled platter, we'll get all three, and it looks like it's big enough to share".

"Sounds great!"

The waitress came by about that time, so Max ordered the large boiled seafood platter, along with a dozen oysters on the half shell, and a bottle of white wine.

"So, Miss Fine, after we take care of the attorney, what kinds of plans do you have?" "Any special sights you'd like to see?"

"Oh, there's so much to see here! I'd like to walk around the French Quarter and check out some of the shops, and Cafe du Monde is definitely on the schedule! I'd also like to check out some of the historical sites. There's an old fort across the lake, and the battlefield where the Battle of New Orleans was fought, you know the song 'In 1814 we took a little trip...'" She stopped herself short, realizing this was the battle where the British were soundly defeated

Max looked at her with interest. "I didn't know you were so interested in history".

"Well, we're here, and the history is here. There's even a bar that was once a blacksmith shop owned by a pirate!" Her eyes were dancing. Max loved the way she got so excited about little things.

About that time, the food showed up. Max wax right, it was definitely enough for two, even if one of them was Fran Fine.

Fran looked at the waitress. "How do we eat the crawfish?"

The waitress smiled. "First timer, huh? It's easy, just suck the head and pinch the tail"

"Wha?"

The waitress then demonstrated the correct way to remove the head, and told Fran to suck the juice out, then showed her how to remove the meat from the tail.

Suck the head, huh? Fran dove into the crawfish, making sure she had Max's full attention when she sucked on each one. Max was focusing on the oysters. "Care for one, Miss Fine?"

"No way, to slimy for MY taste, you go ahead!" Fran made a face and continued to make short work of the mudbugs, then started in on the shrimp. "I LOVE the spice they put in these! We'll have to buy some for Niles!"

"More wine?" Max noticed Fran's glass was empty.

"Mmm, yes, please! He filled her glass and watched her take a large gulp. He'd have to keep an eye on her.

"We'll pick up some brochures when we get back to the hotel, and see what we can find to entertain ourselves while we're here."

The both looked at the platter. They had eaten every bite of seafood, and the wine was gone. The waitress had brought by the check, so they got up and headed for the cash register. Max left the waitress a large tip for the crawfish lessons. He'd never tell Fran, but he enjoyed the show she put on for him immensely.

On the cab ride back, Fran leaned over and kissed Max on the cheek. "Thanks for dinner, it was really fun! The crawfish was great!" Then she put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She was very relaxed from the wine and the company. Max took her hand in his. When they arrived back at the B&B, it was Fran who was dozing. They walked hand in hand to their cottage, where they found their bed turned down, and candles lit all around. Max looked around the room. No sofa, no large chairs, just that big bed that seemed to get smaller every time he looked at it. Well, it was just going to be one night...he could control himself for one night, couldn't he?

"You go ahead and get ready for bed, Miss Fine, I'll see if I can find a cot or something."

"Mr. Sheffield, I'm so tired, I won't even notice if you are in the same bed with me, after all, it's only one night, right? We're friends, we should be able to share a bed for one night." She smiled and patted his arm, and headed to the bathroom to change.

Max walked out the porch and sat in the rocker. He looked up at the sky, and never realized there were so many stars. Fran came out in her robe and slippers and sat in the other rocker. "The bathroom's free, Mr. Sheffield. I'm heading to bed. Goodnight!" She leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips, and smiled before going back inside.

Max sat there for a couple of minutes, and then touched his fingers to his lips. How was he supposed to get through this night! He got up and went into the bathroom to change. Fran was already in bed. She'd thoughtfully moved herself all the way over to the edge of the bed, to try to make the situation more comfortable. When he came out of the bathroom, he could hear her slow rhythmic breathing, and knew she was sleeping. He carefully climbed into the bed and tried to stay as far as he could on his own side. He closed his eyes and tried to will himself to sleep. When he opened his eyes again, he felt Fran next to him, pressing her nose into his neck. He could smell her perfume, and feel her warm body. What was she doing to him? He looked at the clock...it was 3am. Next thing he knew, her arm was draped across his chest. He could do this, he really could. He heard Fran softly whimper in her sleep, as if she was having a bad dream. He gathered her into his arms and she relaxed. He sighed. This felt so right, but at the same time so wrong. He tried to get back to sleep, he remembered seeing the clock hit 4am, but the next thing he knew it was daylight. Fran was still in his arms, but now her eyes were open, watching him sleep. As he opened his eyes, she smiled.

"Good morning, sleepy!" She started to pull away, but he held on to her, not wanting to lose the feeling of her in his arms.

"Good morning, Miss Fine." He leaned to her, kissed her forehead, and released her. "It looks like we overslept a bit! What time do we have to be at the attorney's office?"

"Not till one this afternoon, we're fine! I suppose we have to dress for breakfast here, right?"

"I think they'd frown on you wearing your robe and slippers into the main dining room, Miss Fine!"

She made a face at him, grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom. "Fine, I'll get dressed then!" God that woman could always make him laugh!

After breakfast, they walked around the 2 acres of the B&B. Gardens, ponds, it was truly beautiful! Then it was time to head into town to the attorney.

They walked into the office, and Fran presented the letter to the secretary. "Oh, yes, he's been expecting you...go right in!"

Fran and Max entered the large office, and the attorney motioned for them to sit. "Your uncle had homes in several cities, but here he chose to live here on a sailboat. He's left that boat to you, Miss Fine."

"A boat?" What do I know from boats?"

"I used to sail quite a bit when I was at Eton, Miss Fine, I could teach you what you need to know. How big exactly is this boat?"

"It's a 30 footer, right now it's across the lake in a marina. If you chose to take it home with you, you can sail it yourself, hire a delivery captain, or have it trailered. It's a very seaworthy boat, been to the Caribbean several times."

"This boat has been a liveaboard, so there's every amenity you need to live on it right now, stove, refrigerator, shower, dishes, and linens."

Max thought for a minute. The B&B was luxury, but this boat had two beds, he and Miss Fine wouldn't have to share a bed for the rest of the trip. "This boat is ready to live on right now?"

Fran stared at him. He was kidding, right? A boat? LIVE on a boat? No butler, no room service, no queen-sized feather bed?

"Yes, the boat is completely ready to live on. I believe the propane tanks are even full."

"What do you say, Miss Fine? Shall we stay on your new boat while we're here? Maybe take her out sailing? She DOES sail, right?"

"She has a full complement of sails, all the safety and navigation equipment. She's an older boat, but well taken care of."

Fran was backed into a corner. Mr. Sheffield didn't want to stay in that romantic setting with her if he could get out of it. He actually sounded excited about going sailing, maybe she could work this to her advantage! "You know, Mr. Sheffield, moving on to the boat sounds like an adventure! You swear you know what you are doing?"

"Completely, Miss Fine, you'll be perfectly safe."

Fran smiled. She was thinking of how to start spinning her web. "Great, then I say, let's go for it! I can't wait for you to teach me to sail!"

They took a cab back to the B&B, checked out, and then rented a car to drive over the lake to Slidell, to Oak Harbor Marina, where their new home for the next two weeks was waiting. They checked in with the harbormaster, and had keys to the gate issued. "These also fit the pool, restrooms and laundry facilities," the harbormaster told them.

They left the suitcases in the car, and walked down the docks to find the boat. It was a pretty white boat with blue trim. Max climbed aboard, and unlocked the padlock on the door. He helped Fran into the cockpit, and then they climbed inside. Max's heart sank. Yes, the boat was beautiful, but very cozy. To pass each other, they'd be touching all the time. And the extra beds? Well, the one in the quarter berth had been converted into a computer workstation, the main salon bed was tiny, and the person sleeping on it would have part of the table in their back. That left the V berth...no bigger than the queen-sized feather bed they had just given up across the lake. Fran was plotzing. She tried not to let on just how happy she was at this turn of events.

"Oh, Mr. Sheffield, this is such a beautiful boat! When can we start sailing lessons?"

Max looked at his watch. It was almost 5pm.

"How about tomorrow? Right now we need to think about dinner."

"Well, how are you with a bbq? We have one on deck, and I saw a market about a half mile up the road. How about we go get a couple of steaks and make a salad?"

"Sounds wonderful, I think I can manage the bbq!"

Thirty minutes later, Fran was making a salad, while Max was grilling the steaks. Max had picked up a bottle of champagne to toast the new boat, but almost wished hadn't. He wanted to keep his head clear...and hers!

The night was relatively free of bugs, so they decided to eat in the cockpit. Against his better judgment, Max popped the champagne open, and they toasted the boat, their vacation, and dear departed Uncle Leo's memory. By the time dinner was over, Fran was tipsy, and Max wasn't much better. Fran stumbled down the stairs into the main salon and started looking around. She found a cabinet full of DVDs and VHS tapes.

"Mr. Sheffield! Movies!"

He followed her into the salon, and looked over the movies. Fran found an old Cary Grant movie, Father Goose. Max thought that was a safe enough choice, supposed to be a comedy. Fran popped the DVD into the machine, and they settled onto the sofa to watch. By the time Max realized it was a romantic comedy, it was too late to stop watching. Fran had snuggled against his chest, putting her feet up on the sofa.

"I just love Cary Grant! I'm a sucker for a good looking man with a British accent!" She looked up at him and batted her eyes at him. He couldn't resist, he leaned down, meaning to give her a quick kiss, but the alcohol and the movie had taken its toll on both of them. The quick kiss turned into a much more passionate kiss. His tongue found hers, and they both lost what little control they had left. Max pulled her into his lap and held her closer, his hands roaming her body. Fran let out a soft moan, as she felt his arousal growing beneath her. Next thing Max knew, he was lifting Fran up and carrying her to the large v berth. He placed her in the berth, and climbed in with her. Their eyes met, as if to ask each other what the next move was. Max leaned forward for another kiss when he heard Fran breathe, "I love you". This sent him into overdrive. As he kissed her, he laid her back on the bed and began exploring her body with his hands. They started to slowly undress each other, savoring each movement. Fran was now in only her bra and underwear. As Max removed the bra, his mouth moved down from her mouth, to her chest, kissing each breast, then up to her neck. He said it so quietly, she almost didn't hear it "Oh, Fran, I love you...I love you so much". He then moved his mouth slowly over her body, kissing, licking, and sucking. Fran reached down to help him remove his pants, and then he slowly slid her thong down her legs. He was more than ready, but wanted to make sure she was. He slid his hand between her legs, she was as ready as he was. He pulled himself on top of her, and she opened her legs wider to accommodate him. He stopped and looked her in the eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life...and never wanted anyone more." That was all Max need to hear. He entered her slowly and carefully, not wanting to hurt her. It had been a long time for both of them. They made love repeatedly throughout the night, holding each other tightly between sessions. They finally fell into a satisfied, exhausted sleep.

Fran opened her eyes first. Where the hell was she? She looked around and saw Max sleeping next to her. Then she remembered. What a night...he told her he loved her, and then proved it! Max started to stir, and Fran snapped her eyes shut. She needed to let him "wake" first, and see his reaction to what had happened between them. She held her breath, and then felt his arms slide around her, and his lips on hers. She opened her eyes to be staring into those olive green eyes she loved. "Good morning, darling". She smiled. He DID love her! "Good morning Mr...Max!" This was going to be a glorious two weeks!


	2. A Day on the Lake

This is the second installment in a series of stories. No offense to the wonderful creators or writers of The Nanny. I don't own the characters, just borrowed them. The only thing that's mine is the boat.

This the PG version of the story

Chapter Two

**A Day on The Lake**

It was a beautiful day on Lake Pontchartrain. The sun was shining, just a few fluffy clouds in the sky, and a gentle breeze in the air. Fran and Max stared in to each other's eyes, trying to process just exactly what had transpired the night before. Champagne, a romantic movie, those kisses, then...oh, yes, now they had put it all together. They had finally given in to their feelings for each other, and indulged themselves in a night of passion. Now what?

Max knew he couldn't backpedal on this one, he'd just have to be more careful about letting his emotions run away with him. He slipped his arms around Fran and gave her a gentle kiss. "Good morning, Darling!" _DARLING? Where the hell did THAT come from?___Max looked at Fran to see if she noticed his slip. Oh, God, she was smiling. She noticed.

"Good Morning Mr...Max!" Fran leaned forward and gave him a gentle peck on the lips. "Mmmm, I'm famished, where's Niles when ya need him, anyway?!" She gave a gentle laugh. "So, what's for breakfast?"

Breakfast. They had forgotten to shop for anything except last night's dinner. "Well, I could get dressed and run back to that little market", Max said, starting to get out of bed.

"Or, wasn't there a Waffle House right across the street from the market?" Fran grinned at him. She had no clue what a Waffle House was, but it sure had to beat shopping and cooking!

"Waffle House, Miss Fine?" "Have you ever eaten in a Waffle House?"

"Well, no, but it sounds good anyway!" Fran stifled a giggle. She had seen inside this restaurant as they drove by. It was like a little diner, complete with a counter and little booths...and a jukebox! Mr. Sheffield in a diner! Good thing she packed her camera! "Oh, come on, Mr. Sheffield, let's try it! I'm starving! If I'm gonna try sailing, YOU can try Waffle House!" She laid her hand on his arm and looked up at him.

"All right, you win! We're going to Waffle House. I'll shower and dress first, and then go outside and check the sails while you get ready".

Max closed the door from the v berth to the shower. As Fran lay in bed listening to the water run, she felt little water droplets on her face, and turned around to look at the door. Where the door met the bulkhead, there was a gap of about an inch, just enough for her to get a full view of the man she loved lathering up. Oh, she never wanted to be a bar of soap so bad in her life! As he turned to rinse off, she decided she'd better move away from the crack in the door. No sense getting caught and ruining future shows! She heard the water turn off, and he left the door closed to the berth while he dressed. She closed her eyes to re live what she witnessed in the shower.

"You didn't go back to sleep did you?" Max had opened the door and was standing over her. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "The shower's free, I'm going topside to check the sails and the rigging".

"Topside? Rigging? Sails I understand. Oy, I've got a lot to learn about this boat stuff!"

Max just smiled at her, and headed out on deck. Fran got up and into the shower. She was glad she'd brought her scented shower gels from Bath and Body Works. Let's see, which one...Coconut Lime Verbena. The last time she'd used that one, she had caught Max purposely getting close enough to smell the sweet scent. She could hear Max walking on the top of the boat. As he moved from one side to another, Fran lost her balance as the boat rocked. "This is gonna take some getting used to...or some Brit's strong arms to catch me when I lose my balance!" This boat thing might just be the thing that cements their relationship, she thought.

Fran blew her hair dry, and opted for no curls and a ponytail, since they were going sailing. She didn't want her hair blowing all over the place, how attractive was that? She pulled on a pair of shorts and a cropped t-shirt. She put on her tennis shoes and looked at herself in the mirror. OK, time to eat! She climbed the ladder to join Max on deck.

"Ready to go?" Oh, didn't he look yummy! He was wearing khaki shorts with a blue polo shirt, and a pair of slip on sneakers the same blue as his shirt. "Boy, do you look nautical, Mr. Sheffield!" He turned to look at her.

"You look very naughty...er...nautical, yourself, Miss Fine!" There he went again. He didn't want to escalate things, just to keep things as they were. Hopefully, she would understand that last night was simply the result of too much to drink. Oh, who was he kidding. He'd spent months dreaming of exactly what happened! He took her by the hand and helped her off the boat, and they walked up to the parking lot to their rented car. When they arrived at Waffle House, they took a seat in a booth and looked at the menu.

"Grits? What are grits, Mr. Sheffield?" Fran frowned at the menu. OK, here was something she understood. "Pecan waffles! I'll have a couple of those with some eggs and bacon!" The waitress looked puzzled.

"A couple of waffles, ma'am?"

Max smiled. "Trust me, she wants two waffles!" He winked at Fran.

When the meal came, Fran looked at her waffles. These were not the little Belgian waffles that Niles prepared, these things took up a whole plate by themselves! Fran took a deep breath and dug in. As Max expected, she cleaned all three of her plates of food. _Where does she put it all_? He wondered.

Max paid the check and they drove across the street and stopped at the market for groceries. They picked up plenty of fruit and vegetables, and Max suggested he grill some hot dogs for lunch while they were out on the lake.

Fran playfully slapped his arm. "Oh, Mr. Sheffield, you know me so well! Hot dogs will be great!" She picked up some deli potato salad and some chips to go with the meal. As an afterthought, she went to the meat counter and picked up some chicken breasts, just in case. Max was over on the wine aisle picking out several bottles of wine. Fran walked up behind him and handed him a bottle of champagne like they had last night. "Don't forget a couple of these, Mr. Sheffield!" She winked seductively at him.

Uh, oh. He very well couldn't just put back the wine now, he might hurt her feelings, so he smiled and winked back at her and put them in the cart. He paid for the purchases, and they headed back to the marina. Fran stowed the food in the cupboards and refrigerator while Max readied the sails. When she was done, she joined Max on deck for her initial lesson. He walked the deck and pointed out each piece of equipment to her, making her repeat the name to him. Mast, boom, standing rigging, running rigging (Hadn't she seen this in Captain Ron?) He told her how to cast off the lines and haul in the fenders when they were ready to get underway. OK, how hard can that be?

"Ready, Miss Fine?"

Ready, Mr. Sheffield!"

Blower on? Check! Gas line open? Check! Jib hanks secure? All of them, Miss Fine? Check! Key in ignition? Check. Max started up the engine and sent Fran up to the bow to untie the bowlines. He released the stern lines as he started backing the boat out of the slip. That went well, they handled that like they had worked together a time or two! Fran made her way back to the cockpit from the fore deck as Max navigated the fairway in the marina. As they got to the end, he made a left turn, and they were in the large lagoon, heading for the lake.

"Care to drive, Miss Fine?"

"In here? What if another boat comes along? What do I do?"

"Just stick to your side of the channel. Just like a car, keep in slow as to not throw a wake".

"A wake?"

"The little ripples coming from the front of the boat, that become bigger ripples the faster you go".

Fran took the wheel nervously. "Stay right here with me, I've never done this before!" Max stood right behind her in case he needed to take over. There was barely enough room for one person to stand behind the wheel, and his body was pressed against her back. God, she smelled good! What was that, coconut and some flowers? Fran started to relax at the helm, and leaned back, pushing herself against Max. His hands subconsciously slip around her waist. Her bare midriff was warm from the sun, and her skin was so soft. She tilted her head back and laid it against his chest. Several boats passed and waved, and they waved back. To the other boaters, this looked like a couple very much in love. When Fran got to the last navigation marker, they were out on the open lake. "OK, now what do I do?" To Max, that was a loaded question. He knew exactly what he'd like her to do. _DAMN!_ He had to stop thinking like that!

"Head for the railroad bridge, over there to the right. According to the chart, there are several coves over there where we can anchor for lunch". "Are you ready for the sails to go up?"

"Ready whenever you are!"

"Alright, hold the wheel steady, and turn the boat into the wind. Watch the little arrow on top of the mast".

Fran turned the boat into the wind, smiling at her accomplishment. She watched as Max began pulling the lines that raised the sails. First, the main sail. Oy! Look at the muscles on that man! She felt the boat begin to tilt a little as the sail reached the top of the mast. "Hey, we're tilting, is that normal?"

"Perfectly normal, hold the wheel while I raise the jib". He started raising the jib, then shouted to her, "Now pull that red and white line to your left, and hold it till I get back there!" Fran pulled the line, and the sail moved closer to her and filled with air. Max hurried back, secured the line and turned off the engine. "Let me take the wheel now". Max turned the boat slightly and Fran heard a POOF as the sails filled with air. The boat listed slightly and started gliding through the water. The only sound was the lapping of the lake on the hull. "Come over here, sit on the high side". Fran moved to the other side of the boat, and immediately felt more comfortable. "So, Miss Fine, what do you think? Could you get used to this?"

"Oh, I love it!" She laid back and let the sun drench her body. Did she dare? Oh, what the hell! She sat up and removed her top, revealing a very small bikini top. She then lifted her hips and let her shorts slide down her legs. The bikini bottom left little to Max's imagination. "This is so relaxing; I think I'll get a bit of sun!" She laid back with her head next to Max's legs, so he was able to appreciate the full view. Oh, she was killing him! As they got closer to the bridge, Max hailed the bridge tender on the radio. Once the bridge was open, Max knew they'd have to turn.

"Miss Fine, we need to tack, get the port lines ready". Fran looked up at him and smiled inwardly. She sat up, not taking her eyes from him, then turned her attention to the port winch. She stood up, and bent over to wrap the lines, and Max's tongue almost fell out of his mouth. That was the smallest thong bikini he'd ever seen! Fran grabbed the lines, never looking back at him. "Ready, Mr. Sheffield?" Boy, she said a mouthful!

"Um, yes, Miss Fine, ready! Here we go...pull when I tell you." Max started the turn, and about halfway through, instructed Fran to pull the line. It was a perfect tack, and they were able to sail right through the bridge with no problem. As they emerged on the other side, there were several fishing boats, whose occupants stopped what they were doing to admire the beautiful half-naked brunette on the sailboat, and to shoot an envious glance towards Max. Fran remembered the "high side" rule, and moved to opposite side from where she'd been sunning herself. She lay back down, this time on her stomach, untying her top to avoid tan lines. After several minutes, it seemed she'd fallen asleep in the sun. Max steered his course toward the cove where he hoped there were no other boats. He sure didn't want any of the other boaters to see his...to see Fran in that suit. He looked down and smiled at her sleeping. About that time was when she turned over in her sleep, leaving the top to her suit behind. She WAS beautiful! There were no other boats around, so he let her lie there on her back, admiring her beauty. As they got close to the cove, chivalry got the better of him, and he slipped off his shirt and covered her bare breasts with it.

"Miss Fine...Fran, we're here, time to wake up", he gently rubbed her upper arm to wake her. As she sat up, Max's shirt fell into her lap, leaving her exposed once more. She blushed and quickly drew the shirt back to cover herself. She looked around and found her top lying in the bottom of the cockpit near where she had been sleeping. She pulled Max's polo shirt over her head and smiled gratefully at him.

"Thanks...sorry I didn't mean to..." Her voice trailed off as she dropped her face. She really hadn't meant to flash him.

"It's fine, you were sleeping, I didn't want to wake you. You looked so relaxed." He didn't want her to know just how long he had allowed her to remain lying there topless, so he downplayed the whole thing. "We need to get ready to drop the sails, are you up for that?"

"I think I can manage, just tell me what ropes to pull again."

"Lines, Miss Fine, they're called lines." He shook his head as she stuck her tongue out at him and reached for the jib line.

"Actually, isn't this called a SHEET?" She was right, the sheets handled the sails. She stuck her chin in the air defiantly. She knew she had him on that one!

Max steered into the cove as Fran dropped the sails. Of course, she dropped the jib right on her head, and had to climb out from under it. Max broke out in laughter.

Fran's lower lip protruded a bit. "It's not funny!" She retaliated by dropping the mainsail on top of Max, who was no longer laughing.

"Miss FINE!"

"Sorry!" She climbed up on the cabin top and began to fold the sail and secure it. Max marveled at how comfortable she had become on the boat in such a short time.

The boat coasted to a stop at the far end of the cove. Max locked the wheel and made his way to the bow to drop the anchor. Once the anchor was down, he started the engine and put the boat into reverse to set it in the mud. Just as the anchor was set, the engine sputtered and died. Just as well, he thought, they were done with it for now. Max and Fran began to put the sails away and tidy up the deck so they could move around. Max pulled the ladder from one of the lockers and hooked it onto the side of the boat, securing it with cable ties.

"Oh, this is just beautiful, Mr. Sheffield!" She looked around. Cypress trees lined the banks, the water was still and like a mirror. From where they were anchored, you couldn't even see the lake. They had total privacy. Fran liked that idea, although, since they had to sail back this afternoon, she couldn't pull out the wine to help things along this time. "How about some lunch?"

"Sounds great, I'll light the bbq and get the hot dogs started!"

Fran brought out some bottled water to go along with lunch. "I thought we might need this, with being in the sun all day". She had no idea. They finished with their lunch, and put some music on. Fran had put her bikini top back on, but she left Max's shirt down in the cabin. No sense covering that body up if she could help it! "I'm gonna get some more sun, what about you?" She walked up to the bow of the boat, where she could lean back against the rise of the cabin. Max slipped off his shorts, revealing his surprisingly small tan thru suit that Fran had bought him online a few months ago. He came up and joined her on the bow. She handed him a bottle of sunscreen. "Could you rub some of this on my back, please? I'm sure I've gotten enough sun to tan already, and I don't want to burn."

Max took the bottle and looked at her as she turned over on her stomach. He squirted some of the lotion onto his hand and started at her neck, and moved down her back. "Legs, too, Miss Fine?"

"Yes, please!"

He started rubbing the sunscreen around her ankles, and moved up her legs, trying to not think about how aroused he was getting. Before he knew it, his hands we on her backside, rubbing the lotion slowly over her firm ass. "Oh, uh, I think I got everything covered, Miss Fine". He laid back and shut his eyes.

"You sure you didn't miss a spot?" She looked over her shoulder at him. She couldn't believe how turned on she was right now. Then, as she let her eyes travel down his body, she saw that he was, too. She quickly averted her eyes and laid her head down on the deck. The sun felt so good, especially with the gentle breeze to cool her down. About 30 minutes later, she realized she was really getting warm. What happened to the breeze? "How about a swim, Mr. Sheffield? I'm really getting warm lying in the sun!"

"You're right, it is getting rather warm, a swim sounds wonderful!"

They both dove into the water and swam around a bit, splashing each other, playing like a couple of kids. Suddenly Fran looked over at the shore, and her eyes got huge. "What IS that thing?"

Max looked over at the large creature walking towards the water. "That...is an alligator, Miss Fine, back on the boat!"

They both swam back to the boat and climbed up the ladder. The gator entered the water, but seemed completely uninterested in them or the boat. He didn't leave the area though...and he might have friends, so this meant no more swimming for now. Fran stood on deck dripping, then grinned and shook her head violently to as to spray Max with the water from her hair. Max then grabbed her around the waist and returned the favor with his own head. They were both laughing and shaking water on each other, when suddenly they stopped and their eyes met. Max had met his self-control limit for the day, and leaned in pressed his lips to hers. Fran, on the other hand, was thinking "about damned time!" She slid her tongue into his willing mouth, and let out an involuntary sigh. It was about this time she felt her knees giving way. Boy, could this man kiss! Max sensed her weakness and lowered her to the seat, then eased them down to a lying down position. The seat wasn't very wide, and Fran pressed against Max to keep from falling. Max took this as encouragement, and pulled Fran on top of him, his hand roaming her body. He slightly lifted his hips and ground his arousal into her. What in the hell was he thinking??? He couldn't do this right here, right now, in public where anyone could see from shore or drive into the cove.

"Miss...Fran, it's time to go back".

She looked down at him and laid her forehead against his chest. She didn't think she could get up and walk if she wanted to. God, she wanted this man! She tried to get up, but he was still holding her tightly to his chest. OK, this was a good sign. She looked at that face, she could see how conflicted he was. It was time to back off a bit. "You're right, it'll be dark by the time we get back. But how are we gonna get back with no wind?"

Max chuckled. "That's what the motor's for."

"That noisy, smelly thing?" She wrinkled her nose at him.

He smiled. He'd created a sailor. Once they got this boat home, they would have years of enjoyment with the children. Wait, this was HER boat, it was her choice what to do with it. All he could think of was a future with this woman and their family, but he didn't want to rush things. He didn't want to go through the pain of losing another love, he didn't want the children to be hurt. Then a voice spoke to him, from where he didn't know. What about HER needs? She's been hurt in the past, too. She loved a man who didn't love her like she deserved to be love. Wait, wasn't that exactly what HE was doing to her?

She looked over at him. He looked like he was a million miles away. "Ready?" "Don't forget to turn on the blower!" She giggled. Max switched on the blower, then turned on the gas. He inserted the key and turned it, only to hear the engine make nasty sound, as if it wasn't getting gas. He checked the valve again...it was on. He turned the key again. Nothing. Now, what, the battery? Oh, no...they'd been listening to music all day, and he'd forgotten to turn on the solar charger to keep the batteries topped off. No wind, can't sail, no power, can't motor. They were stranded.

"You are not going to believe this!"

"Wha..?"

"We're not leaving, the batteries are dead, I'm not sure if we even have any gas left, and we have no wind to sail. Looks like we're spending the night here!" He looked over at her and saw that lower lip go back out. He'd promised her jazz and dancing tonight, and that wasn't gonna happen.

"Well, at least we have that inverter thingy, we can watch a movie!"

"The inverter works off the batteries. We have no music, no movies. All we have is a boat that won't move and leftover hot dogs!"

"We have some chicken breasts, and some vegetables. We can grill those, and I can make a fruit salad! The night won't be a total loss!"

"You start the salad; I'll start grilling the chicken." Max reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of white wine. Might as well, we won't be sailing anywhere tonight! He popped the cork and poured two glasses, and handed one down into the cabin to Fran. "Here you go, Darling". He'd said it again, what was he thinking?

"Thanks, Honey!" Fran grinned up at him, making sure he knew she'd heard him this time. She took a sip and went back to chopping fruit. This man was driving her absolutely crazy!

A few minutes later, Max called to her. "How's it coming down there?" "Everything's ready up here!" Max assembled the table and set the food out about the time Fran appeared in the doorway with plates and silverware, then handed him the salad. Fran had created a salad dressing out of honey and white wine that she was especially proud of. She'd watched Niles create, and was glad she'd paid attention.

"Here, taste this." She stabbed a piece of fruit with her fork, and dipped it into the dressing and carefully put it to Max's lips. "I made it myself" She said proudly.

"YOU made it? You cooked something?" He laughed.

"Hey, it's not funny, this is really good, would you just TRUST me?"

Max felt bad, she really looked hurt. He closed his eyes, opened his mouth, and she put the dripping fruit onto his tongue. It was actually very tasty. He opened his eyes and looked into hers. "Fran, this is excellent!" He picked up a bite, drenched it with the dressing, and held it up to her mouth. "Here, try it yourself". He slowly put it into her mouth, making sure to leave quite a bit on her lips. "Mmmm, I made a mess here, let me help you" With that, he covered her mouth with his, tasting her and the dressing at the same time.

"I'll have to try to cook for you more often, if I'm gonna get a reception like THAT!" Fran grinned, pleased with herself.

They finished their meal, but had lots of salad left over. "I guess I over made, huh?" "Oh, well, it'll keep in the fridge till tomorrow".

Max refilled their wine glasses, and that finished off the bottle. He reached into the refrigerator and pulled out the champagne, and popped the cork. The movement of the boat earlier had shaken the bottle a bit, and the champagne spilled over the top of the bottle, hitting Fran square in the chest. She squealed, "Oooh, that's COLD!" and giggled.

Max looked shocked. He had NOT meant that to happen. "Oh, Fran, I'm so sorry!"

"It actually felt good, nice and cool. Now I'm nice and sticky!" Good thing I'm only wearing my bathing suit, huh?"

"Let me get some water for you." Max put a bucket over the side and got some water to clean the wine off. As he started to pour a small amount over her to clean her off, the bucket slipped, and he dumped the whole thing down the front of her. Fran's eyes opened wide.

"Oh, you are in such trouble, mista!" She grabbed him by the waist and started to tickle him. He answered this by pushing her down onto the seat, holding her arms with one hand, and tickling her with the other.

"Now, who's in trouble?"

"Max, stop, please!" She hated being tickled, and the only thing she hated more than that was being held down. Max released her and took her into his arms.

"Fran, I'm sorry, did I hurt you?'

"No, I just hate being held down like that". She clung to him tightly. "I know you'd never hurt me".

"No, never. Come here". He lay down on the seat and pulled her down on top of him. She laid her head on his chest, and he felt her relax. He rubbed his hands over her back to comfort her. "Better?"

"Perfect." It was perfect. The sun was setting, and she was lying in the arms of the man she loved. Life just doesn't get much better than this.


	3. A Night in the Cove

I don't own these characters, just this broken down boat, and the diver. The places mentioned are real, right here near my home. This is the third installment in the series.

This is the PG 13 version.

**Chapter Three**

**A Night in the Cove**

Max lay on his back staring up at the stars appearing one by one in the sky. Fran was lying on his chest, she'd fallen asleep. He thought about what had transpired this afternoon. They'd had a nice sail across the lake, barbecued, gone swimming...then they realized they were stranded. The wind had completely died, and the gas tank appeared to empty. Not to mention the fact that they had left the stereo on all day and Max had forgotten to turn on the solar panels to charge the batteries. Luckily, Fran had thought ahead and bought some extra food when they'd gone to the market that morning, so they had a nice dinner. Nice...it was more than nice. Dinner tonight was foreplay, and dessert, dessert was superb. They'd admitted their feelings for each other, and then acted on them. Now it was getting dark, and they were both lying naked on the deck of Fran's sailboat. Max noticed a few bugs circling around, so he decided it was time to wake Fran and go inside before the "no see ums" made dinner out of them.

He started tracing circles on her back. "Fran? She stirred slightly. "Darling?"

"Mmm? Max? Did I fall asleep?" Oy, was THAT a dumb question, of course she was asleep!

"Come on, let's clean up the dishes and go inside, the bugs are coming out." Max helped her up, and they gathered up the dinner dishes and went inside. "I'm going to take a shower, Fran. Just leave the dishes in the sink, and I'll help you with them when I'm done."

Fran pulled her robe around her. "I can wash them, it's no problem, go ahead and take your shower, they'll be done by the time you get out. She tried to turn on the lights...nothing...tried the water, the pump sputtered. "Um, Max? Do the batteries run the lights and the water, too?"

Max moved his hand to his temple. "I hadn't even thought about that! We can pull some water out of the tank and warm it up with the stove for bathing, and we'll just rinse the dishes with lake water." He lifted the hatch that held the water pump and removed one side of the hose. The water flowed freely. Fran handed him a large pan, and he filled it, and then replaced the hose. Fran took the pot of water and placed it on the stove.

"How do ya light this thing?" She looked at Max, puzzled.

"Let's see, first you flip this switch, that turns on the propane. Then you turn this knob, and push the starter button a couple of times." The flames jumped and the burner was lit. Once the water was heated, Max moved the pot to the bathroom and poured half of it into the sink for himself. He gave himself a quick sponge bath, and emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist. "I left you some warm water in the pot, darling"

"Thanks, I'll be out in just a few minutes." Luckily the moonlight was coming in the bathroom window, so she could see what she was doing. Fran quickly washed herself off, toweled herself dry, and reached for her perfume. A few drops in the right places should do the trick! She decided it was too warm for her robe, so she wrapped herself in a towel and stepped out into the salon. Max had found the kerosene lamps and candles, and she found herself bathed in flickering light. "Oh, I feel so much better!" She looked around the cabin. No TV, no music, there had to be something to do. She glanced up on the bookshelf and saw a deck of card. Bingo! "How about a card game?" "Lemme just find something to throw on." She tightened the towel around her.

Max looked up at her, struggling to keep the towel closed, and tried not to laugh. She was so adorable. They'd been lying naked outside for the last hour, and now that she was inside, she was trying to stay covered. He smiled at her. "That towel is very becoming on you!"

She looked down at the barely there towel. "It's the candlelight!" She reached into her bag and frowned. She had her negligees, skirts and dresses to choose from. "I'm gonna need to go shopping for some comfortable clothes!"

"There's a shocker!" Max grinned and reached into his own bag and pulled out one of his t-shirts. "Here, try this for now." He tossed it to her. She pulled it on over her towel, and then grabbed a pair of underwear out of her bag and pulled them up under the towel. She gave Max a seductive grin as she then pulled the towel from under "her" shirt.

"Ah, that's betta!" The shirt looked like a mini dress on her, but she was comfortable. She grabbed a hair clip and pulled her hair up off her neck.

Max looked at her. God, she was sexy as hell, even in that oversized shirt. HIS shirt. He reached into the refrigerator and produced two bottles of water. "How about that card game?" "Gin?"

"Sounds great! She slid onto the couch next to him. While she was bathing, he'd changed from his towel to a pair of fleece shorts, but left his shirt off. God, he was sexy!

Max dealt the cards and took a sip of water. He glanced at Fran, who was busy sorting her cards. She was sitting with her legs crossed, hair up, big shirt...she looked like a little girl. She was focusing on her cards, and her tongue came out of the side of her mouth. Was she torturing him on purpose? No, she didn't have to do that. He'd declared his love for her. Did she believe him? His mind began to wander back to their lovemaking after dinner. He ached to touch her again

"How long will it take to charge the batteries tomorrow?" Her voice brought him back to the game.

He drew a card and thought for a second. "If the sun is out, it could take all day, I'm not sure how large the solar panels are. If we get some wind, we can just sail back."

As if on cue, the boat rocked back and forth. Fran's eyes got wide. "What the hell was THAT?"

Max laughed. "That, my darling, was the wind, nothing to be afraid of"

Fran reached over and slapped his arm. "Don't laugh at me!" She was pouting now. We've got no power, no water and we're stuck out here with the alligators! How did I let you talk me into this?" Tears were now welling up in her eyes, glistening in the candlelight.

Max drew her into his arms and rocked her gently. "I'm sorry, Fran. You did so well with the sailing today, I forget that you don't have any experience with boats." He kissed the top of her head. "Please forgive me?"

She looked up at him, and then laid her cheek on his chest. "Well, if you're gonna hold me like this, I guess I can forgive you!"

Max smiled and shook his head. She's flirting again, that's a good sign. He'd do anything to make this woman happy. "I love you, Fran". That ought to make her feel better.

She kissed his chest, sending a shock all the way through his body. "I love you, too, Max. I really don't mean to be such a baby. This really is a great trip so far." She looked up into his eyes. "After all, I have you all to myself, no phones, no yenta butler, no kids or Ma walking in on us."

Max swallowed hard. He'd spent so long avoiding a relationship with this woman, now that was all he could think of. He looked into her eyes, leaned down and met her lips with his. Her arms moved up around his neck and she kissed him with all the love she'd held inside for him. He wasn't fighting, he wasn't pulling back.

Fran finally broke the kiss and rested her head on his chest while she caught her breath. Then she put her lips to his ear and breathed, "Take me to bed, Max." She moved out of the L shaped sofa and stood up, and Max followed. He moved his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. The boat rocked slightly, moving them even closer together. She moved her arms back around his neck and held on tightly, burying her face in his neck. Max moved his hands lower down her back and pulled her tighter to him. She could feel his growing arousal against her, and she let out a soft moan. She moved her hands from his neck to his back, and let them roam, caressing his tanned, muscular body. She played seductively with the elastic waistband of his shorts; while she let her lips caress his chest. Max reached down and removed the clip from her hair, then grabbed the bottom of her shirt, and pulled it over her head. He tossed the clip and shirt on the table and pulled her close. The feel of her bare breasts on his chest drove him wild. He kissed her neck, her chest, caressing her with his tongue, and gently nibbling on her. Fran moaned with delight. "Oh, Max, yes, that feels so good!"

He wanted her. He wanted her now. He took her hand and led her to the main cabin berth. He helped her climb in first, then went back and extinguished the candles and lamps. Max pulled off his shorts, tossed them onto the sofa, and followed Fran into the V Berth. Fran lay back on the bed, and Max began exploring the increasingly familiar territory with his hands. As he got to her hips, he felt the top of her panties. These simply had to go! He slid them gently down her legs, and tossed them into the cabin with his shorts. He then moved his hand between her legs. She was more than ready for him. He massaged her gently to make sure she was completely ready.

Fran began to feel herself slide over the edge...she wanted him. She wanted him badly. "Max" was all she got out before she felt herself climax. Max moved himself completely on top of her, kissing her neck, and nibbling her ears. As he entered her, he whispered, "I love you".

They made love and caressed each other for an hour, until they were both exhausted. They held each other tightly, neither one able to speak. Finally, it was Fran that broke the silence.

"I love you so much, Max." She held him tighter, kissing his shoulder.

Max held her close, thinking about how much time he'd wasted denying his feelings for this woman. Now all he wanted to do was spend the rest of his life proving to her just how important she was to him, to the children. She was his, and he was hers.

They slept peacefully in each other's arms until...

KA-BOOOOM

Fran sat straight up in the berth, hitting her head on the low cabin top. "Oh, now I know THAT wasn't the wind!" Max pulled her down to him and massaged her head. Then they heard it again. KA-BOOOM!!! Then the lightning flashed. They both laughed. A thunderstorm. The rain began falling against the hull of the boat. Fran held Max tightly. "I HATE thunder!"

Max kissed her gently. "Then I'll just have to distract you, won't I?" He kissed her harder, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. He was immediately aroused. Why did she have this effect on him?

Their second session of lovemaking was slow and delicious; they took their time, finding each other's sensitive spots. Fran found a couple of spots where Max was extra ticklish, and delighted in exploiting them. Max found that the rib areas just to the side of Fran's breasts were extra sensitive, and he could give her goose bumps by running his fingers over the area. They made love until the storm passed, and then fell into each other's arms and into a deep sleep.

Max awoke as the first sunrays streamed into the boat. He'd have to suggest to Fran that they purchase curtains. He looked at the sleeping angel next to him, her curls cascading over her face and shoulders. Life just didn't get much better than this! He quietly got up and pulled on his shorts. He went on deck and plugged solar panels into the battery charger. He looked around. All evidence of last night's storm was gone. He grinned. At least it washed all the champagne off the deck! Max went back inside and looked around the galley and in the cupboards. There had to be some coffee somewhere! Ah, Fran had picked up some local coffee at the market. He drained a bit of water out of the tank and into the percolator. He had no clue how much coffee to add, so he decided too weak rather than too strong. He put three scoops into the basket, and turned on the propane. OK, that's done. Fran will be hungry when she wakes up...so what do I do about that? Ah, the fruit salad! He pulled out the leftover fruit salad from the refrigerator, noting that the freezer was beginning to defrost. He'd have to get those batteries back up, and fast, or they'd have no way to keep things cool! Let's see, coffee, fruit...there has to be...yes, there they are! He pulled a sack of bagels out of the fridge, along with a block of cream cheese. Perfect. He arranged everything on a tray, took it up on deck, and then went to wake his love. When he got to the V berth, she was on her stomach, up on her elbows, watching him. "Do I smell coffee? When did Niles get here?" She laughed. He leaned in and swatted her behind.

"Come up on deck, breakfast is ready!"

"YOU made breakfast?"

"Well, truthfully, I made the coffee. YOU made the fruit salad and bought the bagels and cream cheese!"

"Well, don't ever tell Niles, or we'll never hear the end of it!" Her eyes were dancing.

She got up and put on her bathing suit, then smiled and pulled Max's t-shirt over the top of it. She had her own cover up, but she loved the idea of wearing his shirt. It made her feel…well, HIS.

She climbed up on deck, where Max had laid out their meal. She was starving! "Are the batteries charging?"

"That's the first thing I did, even before the coffee!" Max had finished his breakfast, and started looking around the boat. "I wonder what kind of stuff your uncle had stashed on this boat?" He opened a hatch and looked inside. "Hey, this could come in handy!" He pulled out a large yellow and blue blob of vinyl.

"What's that?"

"It's an inflatable dinghy, if it's in good shape, we can row around and explore the cove!" Max opened the boat up and found the place to put the air. He began to blow. "This will take forever! I wonder if there's a..." He looked deeper into the hatch and pulled out a foot pump. "Yes, there is! This will make inflating the boat so much easier!" He hooked the pump to the boat and began pumping. In no time, the boat was totally inflated. There didn't appear to be any leaks, so Max pulled out a small piece of line and attached it to the dinghy and tossed the little boat into the water. He tied the line onto the sailboat. "There, now we can do a bit of exploring!" He walked across the deck, caressing her shoulder as he passed.

Fran smiled at him. He wasn't acting uncomfortable around her at all. More like...could it be? A couple? She wasn't gonna push. He was the one setting the pace, and she had every intention of letting him. She had no clue what had gotten into him, maybe the water is different in the south? Fran made a mental note to order several cases of that water and ship it home! Whatever it was, she wasn't looking a gift horse in the mouth. He'd admitted he loved her, and now they had some time to try out the relationship alone before returning home to the scrutiny of family and friends. She made a second mental note to find Niles a special gift as a thank you for the push he gave Max. She finished her breakfast, and reached for the coffee pot for a second cup. "Maxwell, this coffee is excellent! Maybe you should make the coffee at home from now on!"

Max was pulling up a bucket of lake water to rinse off the dishes. His answer to her was to reach into the bucket, grab a handful of water, and splash her gently with it.

"Oh, you are gonna pay for that, mister!" She got up and headed for him. He looked at the bucket, then at her. "Don't you even THINK about it!" About that time, the entire contents of the bucket landed on her head. She stopped in her tracks. She couldn't push him in, the lifelines were too high and she might hurt him. She looked him dead in the eye, stripped off her now dripping shirt, and dove into the water. The water was murky, and it was hard to find her bearings, but she swam underwater, just deep enough so he couldn't see her, and surfaced behind the boat, out of his view.

"Fran?" "FRAN!" He still couldn't see her. He dove into the water and started diving around, trying to find her. Fran held onto the rudder and stifled a giggle. "FRAN!"

She swam over to where he was panicking and asked innocently, "Whatcha lookin' for?"

Max turn to her, swam over and hugged her close, as he went to kiss her, he saw the sparkle in her eyes, and knew what she had done.

"Gotcha! I told you that you'd pay!"

Max kissed her lightly, then smiled and dunked her under water. He pushed her just far enough under that she was close enough to his shorts to grab them and pull them off. She tossed them back up onto the boat with a laugh.

"OK, it's Max, three, Fran, two. You don't even wanna go on with this!" Fran looked into his eyes. "Uh, oh, I guess you do". She started to swim for the dinghy, she got there before he did, and climbed in. Oh, crap! No paddles! Now what?

Max climbed into the dinghy with her. "Nice try!" He pushed her down into the bottom of the boat and rolled on top of her, pinning her down. He kissed her hard, and as he did, pulled her bikini top off. He tossed it on the deck of the boat. She began to squirm as he went for the bottoms, and as he tried to gain control of her, the boat tipped, and back into the water they both went. Max took this opportunity to pull her thong off and plant it on the boat with the rest of their clothes. He grabbed Fran and pulled her back to the inflatable boat, and pushed her back inside. Then he climbed up the ladder to the sailboat and retrieved the oars. He handed them over the side to Fran, and jumped into the water. By the time he came up and started swimming toward her, Fran had untied the boat and was rowing away from him. Max was a strong swimmer, and caught up with her in no time. He pulled himself up into the boat. "Leaving without me?" He smiled at her, and leaned over to kiss her gently. The boat was small, so they sat in the middle, facing each other, with their legs wrapped around one another. Max took the oars and rowed them over toward the shore, so they could get a better look.

"Is that a HOUSE in there?" No, it couldn't be. But as they rowed closer, it became obvious. The cove was right behind someone's back yard. Fran giggled. "I hope they don't have binoculars or a telescope!"

Max flushed. "Let's get back to the boat." He reached out and stroked her arm gently. "You are getting a bit pink, I don't want you to burn".

They rowed back to the boat in silence, thinking of the potential show they'd put on over the last couple of days. Hopefully no one was home!

Max tied up the dinghy while Fran slipped over the side and back up the ladder. Max handed her the oars, and then followed her back on deck. They slipped back on their clothes, and Max went inside for some sunscreen. He came out and began to cover Fran's body with the protective lotion. He looked up and saw the breeze had picked up a bit. "What do you say we try to sail a bit?"

Fran looked at the flag. "Is there enough wind?"

"Enough to get us moving." Fran took the sunscreen and began to coat Max with a layer.

"OK, let's give it a try...let's see if I remember how to do this!"

Max knew she was kidding. She was like a sponge. Once she learned something, she hung on to it. "I'll have to dive down and release the anchor, since we still don't have a motor. I'll be right back"

"Max, be careful!" Fran didn't like the idea of him being at the bottom of the lake, out of her sight.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll be right back". He kissed her, and dove off the bow.

What seemed like an eternity to Fran, was in reality less than two minutes, Max resurfaced and ascended the ladder. He returned to the bow and hauled up the muddy anchor, placing it in its proper hanger. The boat was now drifting a bit. "Darling, go man the wheel, I'm going to raise the main sail".

Fran moved into the cockpit, and stood by the wheel. As Max raised the sail, the boat began to move. She remembered what he taught her yesterday, head into the wind. She looked up the mast at the windex indicator, and adjusted the course a little to starboard. Hey, she was gettin' good at this!

"Good, Fran. Now I'm going to raise the jib. Remember to pull the sheets in as I do it."

Fran grabbed the jib sheet and wrapped it three times around the winch. She was ready. Max hoisted the sail, she pulled the sheet tight and tied it off, quickly returning to the wheel, she turned the boat slightly, and she was sailing. "Max! We're moving!"

Max moved back into the cockpit, and saw a line over the port side. "We forgot the dinghy". He pulled the inflatable up on the deck and secured it to the cabin top. Fran was still at the helm, but looking a bit nervous. "Do you want me to take over?"

"Yes, we're starting to move faster!" Fran was right, and as soon as they cleared the cove entrance, the boat really started to move. The land had been blocking their wind, and now that they were in open water, they would have a nice sail back to the marina. They were lucky at the railroad bridge, the operator left the bridge open, so they didn't have to use the radio. Twenty minutes later, they pulled into Oak Harbor Marina, and into their slip.

"I think we need to make a run to the local chandlery." Max told Fran. "There are a few things we'll need on this boat in case we get stranded again!"

They found a store only four miles away. Max had a list. Fran had a ball. She was shopping. She had no clue what she was shopping for, but no one was the wiser. They filled two shopping carts with supplies. Fran got a charge card so she could get ten percent off her first purchase, and they joined something called The Advantage Club, that gives you fifteen dollars back for every three hundred they spend. They also got the phone number for Dave the Diver, so he could come check out the bottom of the boat, and make sure it was clean. Dave and his wife also were delivery captains, so they would be able to take the boat back to New York for them. The best part is that the diver lived in Oak Harbor as well, so they could meet him when he came to clean the boat bottom.

"Don't forget curtains, Fran!" Max remembered the early morning sun in his eyes. He should have known better than to send her down the "Interiors" aisle. She came back with the curtains, and new glasses, dishes, sheets. It was his own fault. What he was paying for the "fun" stuff wasn't even close to the "toys" he demanded for the boat. He bought a generator, a GPS, and a hand held radio, and was looking at radars when Fran stopped him. He was like a kid in a toy store. She walked over to the clothing department, and Max bought the radar anyway. She was trying on shoes, and never even noticed.

"How are we gonna get all this in our car?" Fran was eying all the purchases. One of the employees lived in the marina, and offered to bring the stuff home with her when she got off in an hour. Perfect! They loaded up their car, and then took the rest of the stuff to the employee's car.

"I don't want to think about this boat tomorrow, Fran. How about I take you into the French Quarter? We'll go early, have beignets for breakfast, and then find someplace nice for lunch and dinner."

"Mmm...sounds wonderful!" Max lost Fran when he said 'beignets'. "Speaking of dinner...we haven't eaten since breakfast!"

She was right. "Let's get this stuff on the boat, and let me call the person that will install the electronics. By that time, the rest of our things should be delivered. What was the name of that seafood place on the lake that we passed coming into the channel?"

"Vera's. They are supposed to have a crab stuffed shrimp that's to die for !"

"Vera's. OK, Vera's it is!

"Now that we're back at the dock, I can take a real shower, right?" Fran was playing with her hair.

"Yes, absolutely!"

"Good...I'll be done in a few minutes. Love you!" She disappeared into the cabin, and Max heard the water start up. He almost hated to be back at the dock. Being marooned the cove with her had been wonderful, just the two of them, no one around. He had become so comfortable with her, so relaxed. Like she was his wife. She already was in almost every way that mattered. He let out a sigh. She picks out my clothes, she runs the house, she's raising my...our...children. She's made us a family. She was his wife every way but legally. Max had some serious thinking to do. He heard her singing in the shower. What would the children say if they came home married? How would Morty and Sylvia react? The one thing he knew for sure is that he loved Fran with every fiber of his being. He'd sleep on it and see if things were clearer in the morning. In the meantime, his woman wanted shrimp. He picked up the phone to dial the man who was to install the electronics on the boat and smiled. Fran was right. This was a wonderful city!


	4. Decisions

I don't own these characters, just invited them down south to play a while. No offense meant to the wonderful creators or writers of The Nanny.

This is the fourth installment in the series. Max takes Fran into the French Quarter, where someone from his past helps him make a decision about his life.

**The Decision**

Max turned the car off Decatur St. into the Riverfront parking lot. Fran's eyes lit up as she saw the Mississippi River.

"Oh, can we walk down by the water before we eat?" She reached over and grabbed Max by the arm. He had to laugh. She was like a little girl.

"Of course we can, darling!" "Let me find a parking spot first". Max circled the lot twice, and finally was lucky enough to find a spot right behind La Bella Luna. It would help them find the car tonight, and he was hoping to take Fran to La Bella Luna for dinner. He'd heard it was a very romantic place.

She was out of the car before he had his seatbelt off. She hurried around to meet him as he exited, grabbing his hand.

"C'mon, sweetie!" She pulled him across the parking lot, stepped over the cable barricade and across the railroad tracks. They walked down the newly renovated river walk and marveled at the power of the river. A large tug was struggling upstream, and a tanker was zipping downstream. They walked hand in hand until they reached the crossing to get back on Decatur Street. This was the way into Jackson Square and the French Quarter. They crossed Decatur and turned right, walking along the fence surrounding St. Louis Cathedral. They followed the fence up the next ally way, stopping to view all the street art vendors. Fran was about to ask Max to let her get her palm read when she looked up and squealed. "Ben and Jerry's!"

"It's eight o'clock in the morning, Darling! Why don't we go back across the street to Cafe du Monde? Didn't you want some beignets and coffee?"

"Yes, oh, I'd forgotten where it was; we passed it, didn't we?" "Let's go back!" She grabbed his hand and they were off again. They crossed Decatur once again, and walked into the cafe. They sat down and Fran looked at the menu. She remembered this place from the last time she was here, many years ago. She looked at Max. "Trust me?"

"Of course, sweetheart!"

The waiter arrived to take their order. Fran looked up at him and smiled. "We'll have three orders of beignets and two cafe au laits." She grinned at Max. "Three beignets are just never enough!"

He took her hand and kissed it. "So after we're done here, where to first?"

"Oh, I dunno. How about since we're right here, we check out the cathedral first, and then start walking up and down the streets looking at shops?"

"Whatever you want to do. I owe you for getting us stranded out on the lake" Max looked at her apologetically.

"You have nothing to be sorry for! I thought it was fun! It was like camping, but on the water!"

The waiter brought their order. "That'll be six dollars, sir"

Max looked down at the tray, then at Fran. "You're going to eat all that?" He handed the waiter eight dollars. "Keep the change".

"Thank you, sir!"

"How long you known me? Anyway, you are gonna help me eat these, mista!" She reached for a beignet, and knocked some of the powdered sugar into her coffee. Max raised his eyebrows. "Trust me, it tastes betta this way".

"Whatever you say, Fran." He picked up a donut and brushed the sugar into his coffee.

He looked across the cafe and he saw someone with a familiar face walk behind a pillar. He shook his head. No way, it couldn't be. He turned back to Fran. "You are absolutely right, these are delicious!"

She smiled and reached for her third beignet. "See why I got three orders?" "It's a good thing we'll be doin' a lot of walking today!" She stirred the sugar into her coffee and took a sip. "Mmmm, betta than I remembered!" "Whatcha lookin' at?" Max was again staring over towards the pillar, trying to get a look at the person standing behind it.

"I don't know, I saw someone I thought I knew, but I guess I was mistaken". He turned his attention to Fran and laughed. He picked up a napkin. "Here, let me get some of that sugar off your face...wait, come here, I've got a better idea." He leaned forward and gave her a long kiss, removing most of the sugar from her face...and putting it on his own.

Now it was Fran's turn to laugh. "Nice thought, sweetie!" She grabbed her napkin and wiped his mouth clean. "There, all better!"

They finished their breakfast and headed across the street to the cathedral. It was beautiful inside. They quietly walked hand in hand admiring the artwork and the stained glass. This was a building that survived the Battle of New Orleans, the Civil War, and it was amazing. As they were leaving the church, Max saw the same person watching them from across the courtyard. He could tell it was a woman, maybe someone Fran had met on her last trip here? He took Fran's hand and they headed up the street to browse the shops. As they passed a dress shop, Max saw an antique reproduction gown in the window that would be perfect for Fran. It would also make a perfect wedding dress. He led her into the shop and they looked around a bit. He had seen Fran glance at the dress in the window several times, so he asked the sales clerk if she could try it on. Fran went into the dressing room with several things to try on, and the girl brought her the gown. Max was checking out the costume jewelry when that same woman from earlier came in. This time, he DID recognize her.

"Hi, Max!" "How've you been?"

His jaw dropped. "What...how are you here?"

"I'm here because I knew you needed me. I came to help you make the right decision about your life."

Max glanced at the dressing room door. "You mean, um, about..."

"It's OK, Max. I want you to be happy. She's perfect for you."

"I am happy now, the children are happy. We haven't been so happy since before you...I've missed you terribly. She understands that, she accepts that I'll always love you."

"I know, Max, she's wonderful, I love her, too! She loves you, she loves the children, and you've become a family".

Max looked at the dressing room again. He heard Fran calling to him.

"Are ya ready for this, Max?"

"Answer her, Max."

"Anytime you are, Fran"

"OK, I'm comin' out!" Fran opened the door to the dressing room and walked out. She was breathtaking. She looked at Max, and the woman standing next to him, and gasped.

"Sarah?"

"Hi, Fran. I just stopped to say hello," She looked at Max, "and goodbye". She hugged them both. "Take care of each other, and be happy". She turned around and left the store, disappearing into the crowded street.

Fran walked over to Max and took his hand. "You okay?"

He stood there for a minute, stunned. "Yes, yes, I'm fine." He took her in his arms. "I love you"

"I love you, too."

*************

Max opened his eyes and saw Fran sleeping beside him. Did that really happen? Had Sarah visited them? Fran started to stir, her eyes opened slowly.

"Good morning! Ready to do the French Quarter? I'm ready for some beignets!" She licked her lips and smiled.

It was just a dream, but Sarah's message stuck with him loud and clear. She wanted him to let go and move on. She wanted him to move on with Fran. He took her in his arms and gave her a gentle kiss. "Come on, Darling, let's go get some of those beignets and coffee!"

Fran climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. "I'll shower first, that way while I'm drying and curling my hair, you can shower!"

He kissed her forehead. "Sounds great, I'll make us some coffee." He heard the shower start up smelled the sweet smell of Fran's shower gel. The smell sent an immediate jolt through his body. He busied himself making the coffee, trying to keep his mind off what was happening in the shower, just six feet from him. It was all he could do not to join her. Then he heard the water stop.

"Max, could you hand me a towel, please?" Fran stepped around the door to the shower and smiled at him. She was dripping wet and smelled of coconut.

Max reached into the cupboard, grabbed a large towel, and walked over to her. Fran reached for the towel, but Max quickly opened the towel and wrapped it around her, drawing her close to him. "You smell delicious!" He opened half of the towel and began to blot her face and arms, never taking his eyes off hers. "The coffee's almost ready. I'd better get into the shower, or we'll never get out of here today." He started to move past her into the shower, and then looked back at her. "Not that staying here would necessarily be a bad thing". He ran his hand over her wet hair. It took all the strength he had to close that shower door. He turned on the cold water and stood there for a minute before adding the warm water.

Fran sat on the sofa and began to dry herself off. She wrapped the towel around her head and walked over to the stove to turn off the coffee. She called out to Max, "So, after you feed me breakfast, what's the plan for the rest of the morning?" She grabbed a couple of mugs out of the rack and poured two cups of coffee.

"Well, I know how much you love shopping, so I thought we'd just walk up and down the streets and check out all the stores. Didn't you say you wanted some new clothes?" When DOESN'T she want new clothes, he thought. "There's also supposed to be some lovely art galleries we can check out. Maybe we can find something for the house".

"We should try to find some souvenirs for the kids, too, oh, and something for Niles!"

Max stepped out of the shower. "Fran, we're going to have to rent our own plane if we buy something for everyone!"

Fran stuck out her lower lip and looked sadly at him. "I don't want to buy something for everyone...but I miss my kids, and I want them to know we were thinking about them while we were here...and Niles is my best friend!"

"And what about Val, your parents, Yetta?"

"We'll ship them some pralines!"

"And what about C.C.?"

Fran frowned, and then broke into a huge grin. "How about a nice voodoo doll?"

"FRAN!"

"Just kidding!" She saw the look on his face and knew he was less than amused. Still, she thought a stop at Marie Laveau's shop might be a good idea. She whipped the towel off her head and tossed it at him. Then she smiled and handed him his coffee. "Here, drink your coffee. You've got some time while I dry my hair". She pulled out her blow dryer and ran a comb through her hair. She plugged in the dryer and took it over to Max, and gently ran her fingers through his thick hair. "Here, let me dry yours, first." She turned the dryer on low, and fluffed his hair with her fingers. She loved touching his hair, and this was a perfect excuse. When she was done, she kissed the top of his head. "There, perfect!" She then moved to the mirror and worked on her own hair.

Max opened her suitcase and pulled out her rollers. "I'll plug these in for you, so we can get done faster."

She turned the dryer on him. "Don't rush me, Mister!"

"No rush, just thought you'd like to get across the bridge for your beignets, that's all." Max plugged in the rollers and reached into his own bag. "I'm going to get dressed. Take your time, darling."

Fran finished dying her hair and quickly put in her rollers. She grabbed her makeup bag and decided to go with light makeup today. That would save some time. She opened her suitcase and decided on her leopard print skirt with the black top. Wait, black at Cafe duMonde? Let's rethink that, Fran! OK, how about the lime green and white skirt with the white top? That won't show any powdered sugar spills. She pulled the rollers out of her hair, and pulled it back with a lime green headband. As she pulled on her shoes, Max chuckled.

"Won't your feet be hurting with all the walking we'll be doing?"

"If they do, I'll just have to find some gorgeous guy to rub them for me!" She stood up and smoothed her skirt. She was a vision. Every man in New Orleans would have his eyes on her. "Ready to go?"

"Absolutely!" He helped her climb into the cockpit and off the boat. As they walked down the dock, a handsome boater started walking toward them, with his eyes glued to Fran. As if she sensed what he was feeling, Fran reached over and grabbed Max's arm and put her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so excited! I can't wait to get into the city!"

He put his arm around her. She understood. She was his. The man walked by and gave Max a nod. Max smiled and returned the greeting; Fran looked up and chirped "Good Morning!", and immediately replaced her head on the shoulder of the man she loved.

They got into the car and headed across the twin span bridge. It was a fairly short ride into the city, and Max found a parking place right behind Cafe du Monde. The breakfast crowd had already cleared out, so it was easy to find a seat. The waiter came right over to them.

Max looked at Fran, then up at the waiter. "We'll have three orders of beignets, and two cafe au laits". He was sure she would want more than three donuts.

"Mmmm, you read my mind, sweetie!" She grinned at him...he knew her so well.

Remembering his dream, he scanned the cafe several times, but saw no familiar faces.

"What's wrong, honey?"

Max came back to the present. "Nothing, nothing, Fran. Just taking it all in." He smiled at her. He couldn't very well tell her who he was looking for.

The waiter returned with their order, and Fran dug in to the hot donuts. He loved watching her eat; she put her whole being into it. "Mmmm these are sooooo gooood!" He was getting aroused just watching her lick the sugar off her fingers.

"So, where to first?" Fran had already gone through four donuts, and was reaching for the fifth one. "That last one is yours" She grinned at him. "If you hurry!"

Max sat back in his chair and sipped his coffee. He'd have bought a ticket to watch this show, and she wasn't even trying to be sexy. She just was. He reached over for the last beignet. "You don't want to get too full, you won't want any lunch".

"You're kiddin' right?" She laughed and reached for his knee. "So, where ya takin' me for lunch?"

Max shook his head. She'd just polished off 5 beignets and was already planning lunch. "Anywhere you want to go, my darling!" "There are plenty of places all over; we'll just shop until we're ready to eat".

"Sounds great! I'm ready to shop! How about", she looked around, "down this way". She pointed to the right down Decatur. "There's an open air market there, I saw it on the way in!"

"Lead the way, Fran!"

She grabbed his hand and practically pulled him out of the cafe.

They walked hand in hand down Decatur toward Esplanade. Fran stopped at every window to look at what was inside. They could hear a jazz band playing in the distance as they wandered in and out of the stores. When they got to the end of the block, Fran's eyes lit up. "Max, look! Evan's Pralines! Let's go in and send some to Ma and Val! Val will just drop dead when she finds out I'm here!" They went inside, and Fran had to sample every flavor before making her decision.

"Fran, you just ate breakfast! How can you eat all that?"

"That was an hour ago! Besides, we've been walking and shopping. And I only took little bites!" She turned back to the sales lady. I'll take two one dozen boxes, mixed. Two of each flavor. There, that gave them all six flavors to taste.

Max sighed. "Couldn't you have done that without tasting all of them first?" He rolled his eyes.

"Uh, no!" She rolled her eyes back at him. "I had to make sure these tasted GOOD!" She popped one more bite into her mouth, rolled it around until it melted before swallowing it. Then she moved to Max and gave him a kiss, letting him taste the maple sweetness. "So, whatdya think?" She batted her eyes at him.

"Definitely tastes good! OH, you meant the praline?" He winked at her. She knew just what buttons to push.

Fran gave the sales girl the addresses where to ship the pralines, and they headed back outside to track down the jazz band, which had gotten louder. They must be getting closer. They looked across the street at a large golden statue of Joan of Arc. As they crossed the street to get a better look, they saw the band. It was at an outdoor cafe. Fran was already dancing.

"Come on! Let's go listen for a while!" She was already dancing her way to the tables. As Max caught up with her, the band began to play a slow song. She turned to see where Max was, he was right behind her. He swept her into his arms.

"Dance with me?"

"Always!" They floated around the dance floor as one. Fran laid her head on his shoulder, enjoying the closeness. The song was shorter than they would have liked, and once the band was back to playing faster songs, they decided to continue with their shopping. No sense tiring themselves out before lunch!

They walked about a half a block when they saw a line forming on the side of a bright yellow building. The people in line were wearing flowered shirts, grass skirts, and some were even wearing bras made out of coconut shells.

"What is THAT?" They looked at the sign out front. Margaritaville. Max looked puzzled. "Margaritaville?"

"Jimmy Buffett" Fran explained. "You know, the guy who wants a cheeseburger in paradise? And there's another one about losing his salt shaker".

"I have no idea what you're talking about". "Do you want to go check it out?" Max had no desire to check it out, but knew this type of excitement thrilled Fran.

"Do ya mind? The store does look pretty tropical, it might be fun! And I wanna know why everyone's dressed up like a bunch of schmegegis!" She headed for the store, Max followed, shaking his head.

Tropical music filled the air as they entered the store. The atmosphere screamed PARTY! Fran was dancing around again. Where did that woman get her energy? Max turned to check out the t shirts. He didn't notice that Fran had continued walking to the other side of the store until he heard her laugh. She was standing in the middle of a group of young men that could barely be in their twenties. "No, we're not here to see Jimmy, we just came in to see what everyone was in costume for!"

"You should come to the concert with us! Jimmy is going to show up after the intermission, Come on, they're holding a place in line!" One of the young men took Fran's hand.

As Max started to head over to intervene, he paused when he saw Fran pull her hand away and motion over to him. He didn't hear what she said to the men, but he heard one of them respond.

"Oh, sorry. Well, if you change your mind we'll be in line!"The men turned and left the store to return to the line. Fran turned and walked back over to a frowning Max.

"Wha?"

"You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"Maxwell Sheffield, I didn't do anything wrong, I was just looking around, and they were being friendly. A little TOO friendly, if ya ask me. I told them I was with someone, and they left." Fran's eyes filled with tears. She turned and left the store, and crossed the street. Max rushed after her.

"Fran, FRAN, stop, wait. I'm sorry, when I saw him touch you, I just..."

"You just what?" "He touched my HAND! I didn't ask him to, but I DID let him know I was with you. What did you want me to do, punch the guy? Oh, no, wait, YOU wanted to punch him!"

How did he lose control so fast? "Fran, I saw you handle it. I shouldn't have said what I did"

She decided to let him off the hook. "So, you were jealous?"

"Yes"

She moved into his arms. "You have no reason to be. You are all I want"

Max relaxed and held her tight. He leaned down and kissed her head. "I love you"

She had to make her point one last time. "Then ACT like it!" She smiled at him as she playfully slapped his chest. "Trust me!" She lifted her head and kissed him gently. "Now, didn't you promise me a "shop till I drop day?"

"I did."

"Then why are we wasting time arguing, when we should be burning up your credit cards?"

He had no answer to that one. "You don't want to go to the concert?"

"No, not now." I wanna SHOP!" They walked into the open-air market and picked up several trinkets for the kids. "Let's see what's on the next block!" With that, they were off again. Fran was now in power shopping mode. They turned the next corner and found several jewelry stores in a row. Fran seemed particularly fascinated by the display at Lumina Silver. Max took her hand and led her in the store.

"Let's see if we can find you something in here". The store was filled with one of a kind silver. They looked at all the display of pins, rings and necklaces. They decided on a pair of silver hoop earrings, and a silver band with diamond inlay. She slid her new ring on her right hand, admiring how it glistened in the sun.

"It's so beautiful! Thank you so much, Max!" She kissed his cheek! They continued up the street.

"Three Dog Bakery?" "Oh, can we go in?"

"We don't have a dog, Fran!"

"I know, but we can send something home to Chester!"

Max knew better than to argue. Fran loved C.C.'s dog as if her were her own. "All right, let's go see what we can find".

They picked out several different types of dog cookies and had them sent to C.C.'s apartment. Fran grinned as she thought of the glee that Niles would have when C.C. confronted him about Max being in New Orleans with her.

As they continued walking up the street, Fran noticed that the men had stopped checking her out, and were now eying Max. "Uh, oh, no more stopping until we get out of this part of the Quarter!" she laughed. "I feel like we're back in the Village!" They decided to skip Marie Laveau's, and kept moving back towards the heart of the French Quarter.

"What happened to all the shops?" "There's nothing but bars!" Fran was looking up and down the street.

"Maybe we should move one block over. We're on Bourbon now, and I think some of the crowd going to Jazz Fest is already here." He was right. You couldn't move without bumping into someone. They turned at the next corner, and found the next block was less crowded. "Much better!" He looked at his watch. "Getting hungry, sweetheart?"

"Anytime you're ready!"

"How about this place, it looks nice". He looked up at the sign. Brennan's.

Fran checked out the menu in the foyer. "Are you sure, Max? Do we want nice, or relaxed? This place has a dress code!"

"Let's do nice for lunch, and have a relaxing dinner. How's that sound?"

He led her into the restaurant. They had a wonderful lunch, and when they were through, Max called the waiter over. "What do you recommend for dessert?"

"Well, sir, we are famous for our Bananas Foster."

Max looked at Fran, who was nodding her head yes. "We'll take two of those, then, please."

When the cart came to their table and Fran saw the flames, she looked excitedly at Max. The waiter poured the bananas and syrup over their ice cream and placed the delicious looking dishes in front of them.

"I wonder if we can get Niles to make this at home? As long as he doesn't burn the house down trying!" she giggled. She took a spoonful in her mouth and moaned with delight. "Oh, this is so good!" She continued moaning and sighing throughout her dessert, attracting the attention of every male within earshot. Max decided to let it pass. She was just being Fran. Her eyes went from her decadent dessert to him, and he knew that she was oblivious to anything else in the room.

After they had paid the check and were back out on the street, Max leaned over and whispered in Fran's ear, "I'll have to make sure we keep plenty of bananas and vanilla ice cream in the house from now on." He kissed her gently on the cheek. She slipped her hand into his, and they continued their stroll. Max found several galleries to visit, and purchased several paintings, and had them shipped home. "We'll be able to look at them and remember this trip", he said with a smile.

"Oh, Max, I don't need paintings to remember it! This is a trip I'll never forget!" He loved the way her eyes lit up when she was excited. She moved from storefront to storefront, stopping just long enough to decide if the window dressing was enticing enough to get her inside. As they turned the corner, they ran into a large jewelry store, with diamonds in every window. Fran kept her head forward, but cut her eyes over to Max trying to see his reaction to the store. She kept walking past, not wanting to be too obvious.

"Let's go in and see what they have." Max took her by the hand and led her inside. They walked through the shop looking in all the cases. Max paid particular attention to the wedding and engagement rings. He was ready for this. He was feeling so comfortable with Fran, so relaxed. As if she was already his wife. He wanted to make it official. He watched her carefully as she walked past the rings. He saw her eyes drawn to one particular ring. He had to find a way to surprise her with it. Now how could he get back into the store without her knowing? He walked over to the earrings, picked out a beautiful pair, and showed them to Fran. "Do you like these, darling?"

"Yes, they're beautiful!"

"Then they are yours." Max handed his credit card to the clerk to pay for the earrings, and motioned for her to hold the card. He mouthed to her, "I'll be right back". He picked up the package and headed over to Fran. "Ready to go?"

Once they got outside, they walked a few stores down, and found a bakery. They went inside and Max sat Fran at a table and ordered two cups of tea.

"I must have left my credit card at the jewelry store. Wait here and start on your tea, I'll be right back." Max hurried out and returned to the jewelry store. He showed the clerk the ring he wanted. He couldn't wait to propose to her. He couldn't wait to make her his wife. Why did he spend so long running from a relationship with her?

"She's going to love this ring." The clerk told him. "It's a one of a kind, by a local designer."

Perfect. How perfect to have a token of love as a remembrance of where they finally admitted their love. Max put the ring in his pocket and hurried back to Fran.

"Yes, I did leave it there! Here it is!" He held up the card, and then put in his wallet.

Fran looked at him and frowned. It was not like him to be that careless. Something was up, and she was gonna find out what it was. She took a sip of her tea. "So, where to next?" "We've still got a couple of hours before dinner. By the way, what IS for dinner? Steak? Seafood? Cajun?"

Max thought for a minute. "How about Cajun? I saw a couple of places near where we parked".

They finished their tea and continued to walk through the French Quarter. Fran pulled out her camera and took pictures of some of the beautiful old buildings. They stopped at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop for drinks before heading back up Decatur. Fran saw some people eating dinner up on a balcony.

"Oh, let's eat there! We can watch all the people walk by!" They walked to the door and read the sign. Tujaques. They went in and found there was no menu, you just paid for dinner and got whatever was cooked. They climbed the stairs to the balcony and had a wonderful meal. After dinner, they walked down the street and found an outdoor blues club.

"How about dancing off that dinner?" Max took her by the hand and led her inside. They were at a table next to the dance floor, and spent the next 2 hours in each other's arms, swaying to the music under a full moon. Fran laid her head on Max's chest as they danced.

"Tired, Darling?" Max looked down at her.

"A little." She WAS ready for bed!

"Let's go, then." They headed back to the car, and headed back across the bridge to the marina. When they arrived, there was a soft breeze and the moon was directly overhead.

"Too tired for a moonlight sail?"

Fran brightened. How romantic did THAT sound? "That sounds so nice!" We DO have gas, now, right?" She grinned at Max and playfully slapped his arm.

"Go in and get changed, I'll get things ready."

Fran went inside and changed into her jogging suit, and came up on deck to help Max with the preparations. While he finished with the jib sail, she turned on the blower and the gas. Max started the engine and Fran untied the dock lines. Then she joined him behind the wheel, sliding in front of him and leaning back against his chest. When they got out of the channel, Max turned the wheel over to Fran and hoisted the sails. Fran reached down and turned off the motor.

"Oh, Max, this is wonderful. I could really get used to this!" Max slid behind her and put his arms around her. He leaned over and kissed the back of her neck, causing her to veer off course and lose the wind.

"Max, I can't steer if you are gonna do that!" He took his arms from her waist and put them on the wheel. She turned around to face him, and began to caress his chest and kiss his throat.

"FRAN! OK, I get your point, why don't you go sit down and I'll drive." Fran moved to the seat and lay down with her head next to Max, reaching up to rest her hand on his leg. He reached down and took her hand in his. "I love you!" He looked down and saw the moonlight reflecting in her eyes. He thought of the package in his pocket. This would be perfect. Anchor the boat, light the candles. He could do this. Looking at her, he could think of nothing else. He sailed the boat to the deep area near the bridge. "How about we anchor here for a while?" Fran smiled and nodded. Max started the engine while Fran dropped the sails. "Can you drop the anchor, Darling?" Fran just stared at him.

"What?"

"Just drop it off the front of the boat". She picked it up and tossed it over the bow, watching the chain and line follow it. Max put the boat in reverse until the anchor held. "OK, that's it. Come on back here". Max disappeared into the cabin and came back with the kerosene lamps. He would have preferred candles, but they wouldn't work in the wind. He sat back against the cabin and motioned for Fran to sit with him. She sat between his legs and leaned back against his chest. She sighed softly.

"This is so perfect". She was right, the time was perfect.

Max reached into his pocket and pulled out the box. He took a deep breath. "Fran, I love you so much".

"I love you too, sweetie" she turned her head to look at him. What was that look in his eyes?

He looked her in the eyes. All he saw was total love. "Fran, will you marry me?"

"Wha...?" THIS she wasn't expecting!

"I love you; I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"

"Oh, Max...yes! Yes, YES!" He opened the box and placed the ring on her finger. She looked down at it, and looked up at him. "I KNEW you'd never forget your credit card!"

Max leaned down and kissed her. They sat there kissing and caressing each other for several minutes until Max broke the silence. "Let's go back". He started the engine and moved the boat to dislodge the anchor, then went forward and pulled it up.

Fran sat there in the moonlight, admiring her ring and her fiancé.

"Ready, darling?" Max was behind the wheel, steering them back to the dock. Fran folded and stowed the sails while he navigated them home.

Once at the dock, they set the fenders, tied the dock lines and went inside for the night. Max took his future wife in his arms. "Let's go to bed". He leaned down and kissed her with all the love he felt for her. It felt so good, so right. The undressed each other slowly, and then headed for the bed. It had been a perfect day, and tonight was the first night of the rest of their lives.


	5. Wedding Plans

This is the fifth installment in the series. I don't own these characters, just the boat. No offense the creators or writers of The Nanny. Most of the locations mentioned are real, I just thought it would be fun to let Fran and Max come down south to play.

PG-13

**Chapter Five**

**WEDDING PLANS**

Maxwell woke with a start, as a gust of wind shook the boat. He looked at his fiancée, sleeping peacefully. She looked like such an angel, with her dark hair cascading around her face. He pulled the blanket over her, and got up quietly. He went into the galley and put on a pot of coffee, he knew Fran would want a cup as soon as she woke up. Max smiled. He'd finally done it, he'd been able to cast his demons aside, admit his love for Fran and make a commitment. They were engaged, and he couldn't be happier. Fran was completely taken by surprise, but Max had more surprises in store for the woman he loved. He glanced into the berth. She hadn't moved. Max picked up the phone and thumbed through the phone book. He found the listing he was looking for, and dialed the number to the steamboat Natchez. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it right. He'd give his bride a wedding she would never forget. He made reservations for them three days from today. Three days. In three days, he would make Fran Fine Mrs. Maxwell Sheffield. Now, how to get the family here? Niles! Jazz Fest would be over, there should be no trouble finding rooms for the Sheffields and the Fines. He dialed the house.

"Sheffield residence."

"Niles, how are things going at home?"

"Oh, Sir, things are fine here. How are you and Miss Fine enjoying New Orleans?" Did you find your accommodations satisfactory?" Niles smirked. He couldn't help himself. He'd been working to get these two together for years!

Max frowned. He was still angry at Niles for booking him and Fran into one room at that romantic bed and breakfast. "Well, actually, we aren't there any longer. Miss Fine inherited a sailboat from her uncle, and we are staying there right now."

Niles laughed. The thought of Miss Fine on a sailboat, doing anything that might mess up her hair or her nails. "A sailboat, sir? Don't tell me that Miss Fine actually agreed to stay on the boat rather than a nice hotel?"

"You'd be surprised, Niles. I know I was. She took to the boat right away, actually did some sailing herself. She's a natural!" Max exclaimed proudly.

Niles heard the tone of his employer's voice, and knew something was up. "So, things are going well between the two of you, then?"

"Extremely well, Niles. As a matter of fact, I need you to help me arrange a surprise for Miss Fine. I need you to contact her parents and Miss Toriello. I need them here in three days, by midday. I've got a surprise planned for Fran and they need to meet us by 6pm. Use my credit card and purchase first class round trip tickets for the Fines, Yetta and Val. I'd also like you and C.C. to come down. I'd like the children here, but they'll still be away at camp, so we'll have to surprise them when we come home."

"They'll want to know what's going on, Sir." They, hell, HE needed to know. What could be such a surprise he wanted Miss Fine's family in attendance? He'd called her Fran! Could it be he was going to propose?

Max took another glance to the V berth at Fran, who was still sleeping. He said quietly into the phone, "There's going to be a wedding." "Three days from today, on the steamship Natchez. We have to be on the boat by 6:00pm, and the ship sails at 7:00pm. It's a dinner buffet and jazz cruise. I'd like everyone on the ship by 6, and Fran and I will arrive by horse and carriage at 6:15."

Niles was speechless. Was this really Maxwell Sheffield? Not only had be finally admitted his feelings to Miss Fine, but he'd proposed and now was planning a wedding? "I'll take care of everything, Sir."

"Niles, Fran knows nothing about the wedding. She's going to think I'm taking her on a romantic dinner cruise. The dress will be on board the boat waiting for her." Max was extremely pleased with himself.

"You can count on me, sir!" He couldn't wait to tell Miss Babcock! After all, Mr. Sheffield DID want her invited!

"Great, see you in three days, old man!" I'm going to hang up before Fran wakes up and hears us. Thank you, Niles."

"My pleasure, Sir".

Max hung up the phone and poured two cups of coffee, and carried them to the v berth. He leaned down and kissed Fran on the forehead. "Good morning, sleepy!" "Coffee?"

Fran smiled." Mmmm, yes, please!" She took the steaming cup. "What time is it?"

"Just past nine. I wanted to let you sleep. I thought we'd do a bit of local exploring today!"

Fran yawned and stretched. "That sounds great! Let's stop by the deli and get a picnic together!"

"Good idea! Go ahead and finish your coffee, I'm going to get a shower." Max pulled off his shorts and stepped into the shower stall. Fran gave him a minute to get the water nice and warm, and then decided to join him.

"I thought you could use some help washing your back." She reached for the soap and took the washcloth from him, and began gently massaging his back.

He turned around in the small stall and aimed the water at her hair. He grabbed her shampoo and applied some to her head, and began massaging her scalp. She sat down so he could reach her entire head.

"Mmmm, that feels so good, sweetie! No one's ever washed my hair for me...well, not since I was a little girl!"

Max leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Which conditioner?" She had three different kinds.

"The blue tube". She opened the tube and squeezed the proper amount into his hand, and he massaged it into her hair. "OK, your turn." she stood up. "Sit down". They exchanged places, and Fran returned the favor, shampooing and massaging his scalp. She loved the way his hair felt in her hands. She rinsed and applied his conditioner.

While their conditioners were setting, Max picked up Fran's coconut lime verbena soap, and covered her body with it. He loved that smell. He held her close, covered with her soap, feeling her slippery body against his.

"You're gonna smell SO good, honey!" Fran laughed. He was getting her soap all over him.

Max grabbed the shower attachment and began to rinse her off. When she was free of conditioner and soap, she picked up his soap and washed her flowery scent off him. "There, all betta, now you don't smell like my mother!" She laughed and rinsed him off.

They wrapped themselves in the large bath sheets and moved into the main cabin. Fran poured them some fresh coffee and began to comb out her hair.

"So, what's your plan for today? Anything specific, or are we just gonna drive around?" Fran took a sip of her coffee, and then went back to combing the tangles out of her hair.

"Well, there's an old fort close by, and the Chalmette Battlefield is fairly close. Maybe today we can soak up some local history?"

"Sounds like fun. We can take lots of pictures for the kids." She picked up the blow dryer and starting drying her hair. She looked at him. "Curls or straight today?"

Max looked up from his coffee. "Since when do I get a choice?" He smiled.

Fran looked down at her engagement ring, and back at Max. "Since now," and she blew him a kiss.

"How about straight and in a pony tail?" She'd worn it that way their first day here, and he loved it that way.

Fran smiled. Sounds good, it'll be out of her face that way. "Sure, sweetie, just give me a couple of minutes to dry it". She bent over, fluffed her hair, and turned on the blow dryer, brushing it straight. When it was almost dry, she flipped her head and caught Max staring. Was that man adorable or what? She grabbed a rubber band and pulled her hair up.

"How's that?" She moved over and sat in his lap.

"You look lovely." Are you going to wear that towel, or are you planning to put on some clothes?"

Fran narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, I was planning on the towel, it IS such a lovely color and all...but if you want me to wear something else." She started to get out of his lap when she felt Max's hand lightly smack her behind. "Then, again, if I don't wear this beautiful towel, I can't do this". With that, she grabbed the sides of her towel and flung it open, smiled at him, then tossed the towel over his head. He could hear her giggle as she grabbed a sundress out of the closet. He couldn't remember when he'd seen her this relaxed. She stepped back into the cabin dressed. "So, sweetie, are you gonna wear that towel, or are you planning to put on some clothes?" Touché. "Don't rush; I have to put on my makeup".

Max got up and pulled on his shorts and a polo shirt. He could hear Fran humming in the bathroom. She was definitely relaxed. Max, on the other hand, was a wreck. How was he going to keep the wedding from her for three days? What was he thinking? He was thinking he couldn't wait to marry the woman in the next room. He'd spent so long running from his feelings, pushing her away. Now, the wedding couldn't happen soon enough. He'd just have to make sure she didn't suspect anything. As long as he kept her occupied, she might not think about calling her mother or Val to tell them about the engagement. Her mother might slip and tell her she was coming to New Orleans, Val would definitely slip.

"Max? Earth to Max! Where'd ya go, sweetie?"

He'd been lost in thought and never heard her come up behind him. "Oh, I was, uh, thinking about the children, wondering how they were getting on at camp." He had to be more careful.

"I miss them, too. I can't wait to get home to see them!"

"We'll see them in a week." He needed to change the subject before she got too homesick and wanted to call the kids or her mother. "Ready to go? We still need to stop by the deli to pick up lunch". Max wanted to get this day going. He was afraid that he'd let something slip if they sat around the boat talking.

"Yep, let's go!" She had applied light makeup, and with her hair pulled up, she looked like a teenager. She bounced up the ladder onto the deck. He followed her, and then helped her onto the dock. They walked hand in hand up to the car, and heading to the deli around the corner. They stocked up with sliced meats, some French bread and mustard, fresh fruits and veggies, and several bottles of sparkling water. Max also picked up two slices of NY cheesecake, and quickly put it into the ice chest to surprise Fran. He carried the ice chest out to the car and put it in the back seat.

They headed down Old Spanish Trail towards Highway 90. Max was amazed watching Fran. She kept looking out one side of the car, then the other. She'd see a body of water, then start watching a hawk circling above, and then watch the fishing boats. She couldn't soak in enough scenery. "Oh, Max! This is all so beautiful! Promise me we'll come back here one day!"

He reached out and took her hand. "Of course we will, my darling. We'll come back anytime you want". He knew that by the time this week ended, this place would hold precious memories for both of them. They reached the 'Y' at Highway 90, and followed the sign to the right. They drove through a swing bridge, and then saw the Fort Pike on the left. Max parked the car and walked around to help Fran out. He took her hand as she got out. "Mind where you step, the ground is pretty rocky."

They crossed the bridge over the water surrounding the fort. They checked in at the desk and Max signed the register. Fran went to sign and saw that he'd signed for both of them. Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell Sheffield. She looked at him and smiled, then planted a kiss on his cheek. She didn't want to make a big deal about it. She had secretly written that name a hundred times, always throwing away the evidence so no one saw her fantasy. She sighed. He truly loved her; it no longer bothered him that people mistook them for a married couple. He was now also thinking about their future together. Max took her by the hand and led her deep into the fort. Fran leaned out the windows and looked at the water below, admiring the view. Max was admiring Fran. Did she wear that short dress with that thong just to torture him? Was she leaning over that far on purpose? He walked up behind her, put his hands on her waist, and pulled her up from the window ledge. He turned her around to face him, and gave her a long passionate kiss. He listened. The fort was deserted except for them. He'd be able to hear the echo of voices if anyone came by. He couldn't believe he was having these thoughts. He wanted Fran, right here and now. He let his hands move from her hips to the hem of her dress, and slid his hands underneath. She let out a soft moan as his hands touched the bare skin of her backside, and she moved her hands to his hips and pulled him closer to her. She felt his arousal grow as she pushed herself into him. "Max," she breathed. She looked into his eyes as he moved her thong down her thighs. Her eyes sparkled as she unbuttoned his shorts. "You are just full of surprises, aren't you?"

He bit her neck. "I'll bet you never call me predictable again!" He reached down to make sure she was ready for him. She was as ready as he was. The idea of where they were and the chance of being discovered was exciting to both of them. About that time, they heard the sound of other tourists entering the fort. They quickly got themselves dressed. Just in time, another couple entered the room just as they turned around. Max and Fran smiled and said hello, then made a hasty retreat.

Fran looked at him and giggled. "That was a close one! What got into you back there?"

Max looked at her and frowned. "As if you didn't know. That dress, that thong, don't tell me that you didn't lean over the window ledge on purpose! Are you TRYING to drive me crazy?"

Fran pouted. "You said you LIKED the dress!" "And I wore the thong because it's comfortable! I never even thought about it when I looked out the window!" She ran her hands down his chest. "We're not gonna start the day fighting, now, are we?"

Max looked into her eyes and melted. "No, we're not going to fight. I shouldn't have blamed you. I was the one that lost control".

"Maxwell, you can lose control with me any time!" she smiled at him seductively, and then added, "I drive you crazy?"

He took her by the hand and led her back to the car. "You know you do, you've driven me crazy since the day you first appeared on our door." He kissed her as he helped her into the car. "You WILL behave yourself at the Battlefield, right?" He winked at her.

"I will if YOU will!" She smacked his arm playfully.

"I can't promise anything. Lately I seem to lose control every time I look at you." Max got into the car and headed towards Chalmette. He couldn't believe that he almost made love to Fran in the fort. If the other tourists hadn't shown up when they did, he would have. The drive to Chalmette was shorter than they'd expected. Fran had gotten excited when the passed Michoud, where they make the booster rockets for the space shuttles. He'd have to see about taking her to Stennis Space Center before they went home, so she could see where they actually test the engines for the shuttles. She was as excited as a child, absorbing all these new sights like a sponge. Max was falling deeper in love with her by the minute. He turned the car off the interstate and headed toward the battlefield. As they pulled in, they heard the sound of the large cannons. There were men dressed in period costume everywhere, and the British flag was flying on the opposite side of the battlefield.

Fran looked at the British flag, then back to Max." What, getting their butts kicked once wasn't good enough for them?" Max made a sour face. Fran grabbed his hand and swung it from side to side. "I'm just kidding! This should be fun, WAIT, I forgot the camera!" She ran back to the car to retrieve her camera, and snapped a picture of Max with the soldiers behind him. They walked hand in hand through the actual battlefield. They stood on the site where the British general fell. "I can't believe so many men died right here...what did the brochure say, 2000 British died in the battle? In thirty minutes? And the American soldiers weren't even really soldiers; they were just volunteers and pirates!"

"They really didn't teach us this battle in school, Miss Fine." Uh, oh, Miss Fine, again. That's not a good sign!

"Ya wanna go watch the movie about it?" She smiled at him. "I'll buy ya popcorn!"

"I don't think they sell popcorn at a National Park, Fran. But, yes, I'd love to go see the movie with you!" It was getting warm, and a nice, cool, dark theater sounded perfect.

OK, back to Fran. Mental note to self, do NOT discuss American-British battles with him again! She grabbed his hand and led him to the theater. They found two seats near the back away from the other tourists. As the movie started, Max looked over at Fran. Her eyes were sparkling as they moved from the screen to him. She leaned over and whispered to him, "Oh, honey, I'm having such a good time!" She meant to kiss his cheek, but he turned to face her at that moment. A jolt of electricity went through them as their lips met. Max took Fran's face in his hands and looked into her eyes.

"I love you so much, Darling!"

"I love you, too!" She held tightly to his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. He reached down and took her hand, intertwining their fingers. He looked at their hands, how they fit together, how perfect the ring looked on her hand.

When the movie ended, they walked arm in arm through the adjoining museum. "Max, I'm famished! Aren't there some picnic tables outside?"

"I think you're right. Let's go get the ice chest and have some lunch". Max walked to the car and got the ice chest while Fran found them a table in the shade a large tree with a view of the river. "Ready to eat?" Max put the cooler on the table, and Fran opened it and started pulling out food.

"Cheesecake? When did you get cheesecake?" Fran was delighted. Max loved surprising her.

"I picked it out while you were choosing the meats. I thought you'd like a little sweet".

"You know me way too well!" She gave him a quick kiss, and finished putting their sandwiches together. They sat sideways on the bench, so Fran could sit in between Max's legs and lean back on his chest while they watched the boats on the river. "Max, wouldn't it be fun to take a ride on of those boats?"

Yes, he knew her well, alright, and he'd have to think fast to keep her from finding out she was getting married on one of those boats! "Yes, darling, I think it might. Maybe next trip?"

Fran's lower lip came out and she looked up at him. Oh, no, not the pouting.

"It will give us an excuse to come back". He took a forkful of cheesecake and fed it to her, which turned her pout into a huge smile.

"Mmmm...Tastes like home! Oh, Max, I miss the kids so much! I can't wait to get home to see them!"

"They won't be home for another couple of weeks...do you want to call them at camp?" Max held his breath. He was hoping she'd say no, since the next call she'd want to make would be to her mother.

"No, I'd better not. The last time I called B got embarrassed and I interrupted Maggie on a da.....y hike" No, he didn't need to know his daughter was dating while at camp, she'd save that one for later. "And if I talk to Gracie, she'll want to come home".

That was close. He took a sip of water. "So what's next for today?"

Fran leaned back on Max's chest and took a deep breath. "Oh, I don't know, I could sit here like this all day!" She turned around and faced him, sitting on his lap. "How about we go home, pick up something to bbq, and just relax and watch a movie?" The excitement of the last couple of days was catching up with her.

"Tired, Darling?"

She laid her head on his chest. "A little. No, actually a lot. I could use a nice quiet night at home".

"Then a bbq and movie it is." He pulled her closer to him. "I could use a night just sitting and holding you tight as well."

"Good, then let's get this cleaned up and get outta here!" Fran hopped up and began cleaning up the trash and leftover food. Once everything was in the ice chest, Max carried it back to the car. Fran took a few more pictures of the battlefield and the soldiers before they left, and grabbed some brochures. They took the Interstate all the way home, so it saved them quite a bit of time. They pulled into the little grocery store parking lot.

"Do you have an idea of what you want for dinner, sweetheart?" Max helped Fran out of the car and they headed into the store.

"No, sweetie, I have no idea. Maybe some shrimp? Or some steak? We just had chicken, but I could eat it again." She was no help, but, then, she'd eat anything he picked out.

"How about a steak and some shrimp? I can put the shrimp on the grill just before the steaks are done."

"Sounds wonderful honey! How about some vegetables to grill with that? Look they have flavored olive oil we can brush on them!" She reached for a bottle of oil and put in the cart. Max looked shocked.

"How did you know how to do that?"

"I told you...I've been paying attention to Niles. I was planning on impressing you by cooking you a nice meal one night soon. I thought it might turn you on." She batted her brown eyes at him.

"You impress me every day...and you ALWAYS turn me on!" How did she get him to admit such things? He was getting so completely comfortable around her; he felt he could tell her anything. He watched her as she maneuvered the shopping cart through the aisles of the market, she was truly amazing. He'd never even noticed the extra time she was spending in the kitchen, trying to learn to cook, just for him. He hadn't noticed a lot of things about her. Well, that was about to change.

"Ick, this can't be good!" Max looked up at Fran. She was holding a small jar of caviar. "Lumpfish?" She wrinkled her nose and put the jar back on the shelf. "Boy, have I gotten spoiled or WHAT?"

Max came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. He nuzzled her neck and whispered into her ear, "I intend to keep on spoiling you for a long, long time, my darling!"

Fran sighed and leaned back against his chest. This trip was the best thing that could have happened to them. They were getting closer and closer by the day. "I love you. I'm so glad you came down here with me!"

Max held her tight. "So am I. More than you'll ever know". There he went again, saying too much. He was so worried about her calling Val and having the surprise wedding spoiled, and now he kept dropping hints. "I'm also famished! Let's get this shopping done and get back to the boat so we can get some rest before we fix dinner!"

"I'm right with ya, Mista!" Fran pulled out of his arms, grabbed her cart and headed for the produce section. She picked out some squash, some portabella mushrooms, and a couple of sweet potatoes to grill. The local strawberries looked good, so she grabbed a pint of those and a can of whipped cream. No, make that two cans...you never know. She grinned at Max as she put the second can in the cart. "Ready to pick out the meat?" She headed for the meat counter.

Max selected two filets and a pound of jumbo shrimp. He looked at Fran, who was frowning at the small package of shrimp. He ordered another pound, just to make sure. They headed for the checkout, then loaded their purchases up in the car and headed back to the marina.

Max carried most of the bags to the boat, and Fran got everything stowed away. "Oy, I'm so tired! Let me get this shrimp ready, and I'm gonna lie down for a while." She put the shrimp in a marinade she'd picked up, and put the container in the refrigerator. Max was already in the v berth when she crawled in next to him, and into his waiting arms. He held her closely, rubbing her back, and she quickly fell asleep. Max waited a few minutes for her to fall into a deep sleep, then got up and dialed his house.

"Niles, how are the plans coming? Did you let everyone know what was going on?"

"Yes, sir. Miss Toriello is beside herself, and can't wait to see Miss Fine. Sylvia, Morty and Yetta are looking forward to the trip. Miss Babcock has been very quiet since I broke the news to her, I can't even get an insult out of her".

"Just make sure everyone is here early, so they are ON the boat when we show up. We'll arrive by horse and carriage a little after six, and Fran will be escorted to the bridal room where she'll change into her dress. Now I just have to figure out how to get the dress without her knowing. There's a Ben and Jerry's around the corner from the dress shop, maybe I can get her distracted with ice cream and slip out, although I tried that when I bought her ring. I'm not sure if I can use that ruse a second time".

"Can't you just tell you have an errand to run?"

"I could if the shop was here in Slidell, but it's in New Orleans, in the French Quarter. At least I hope it is...I saw the store and the dress in a dream. Fran was trying on the dress, and she looked beautiful. I simply MUST have that dress for her."

"A dream, sir? What if the store doesn't exist? You're running out of time".

"Then I'll simply have to go find her something in Slidell and have it delivered to the ship before the wedding!"

"Where is Miss Fine now, sir?"

"She's sleeping. We had a busy day and she's exhausted. She needed a nap before cooking dinner. I can't believe you didn't tell me she was learning to cook!"

"I didn't know she was learning to cook. She HAS been spending quite a bit of time in the kitchen while I'm preparing meals; I just thought she was lonely, since you'd been neglecting her lately."

"She's been sitting there with you filing everything into that brain of hers. You should have tasted the dressing she made for the fruit salad we had for dinner. She's an amazing woman, Niles."

"I'm glad you finally noticed, sir. I've been trying to tell you this for years!"

Max glanced into the v berth and saw Fran start to stir. "I think she's waking up, I'd better go. I'll see you in a couple of days, Niles."

"I'll take care of everything from here, don't worry. Goodbye, sir".

Max crawled back into the v berth and took Fran into his arms. She was still sleeping. He pulled her closer and kissed her lips gently, and she responded passionately. "A little dessert before dinner, Max?" She pulled his shirt over his head, as he pulled off her dress. They slowly explored each other's bodies before making love. They were becoming so comfortable with each other, learning what pleased the other.

"Sweetheart, I hate to cut this short, but it's getting late, we should get dinner ready." Neither one moved.

"You're right, we should get up". Still they didn't move.

"So, are you going to cook me dinner, or what?" His eyes looked deep into hers.

Her eyes sparkled. She leaned over and kissed him. "How about, or what?" She couldn't get enough of this man. "OK, OK, I'm goin'!" She got up and put on her robe. "So, what about you, grill man?" Max got up and grabbed her around the waist, opening her robe. "Sweetie, we are nevah gonna get dinner cooked this way". She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Not that I'm complaining!"

"That was just a preview of dessert" He kissed her nose.

"Hmmm, I thought we just had dessert". She grinned at him.

"Since when do you stop at one dessert?" He knew he would pay for that crack, but he just couldn't resist.

"Well, just remember, Mista, YOU usually don't have ANY dessert!" Yes, she intended on making him pay for that one.

"Fran!"

"If you want dessert, you have to be a good boy and get that bbq going! The shrimp is in the marinade, ready to go. I'll get the veggies ready." Like she wasn't gonna let him have his dessert!

Max pulled on his fleece shorts and headed for the cockpit. He lit the bbq and pulled the steaks out of the refrigerator. He handed the bag of vegetables to Fran. "Here you go, galley slave!" She looked up at him and squinted into the sun. Galley slave?

"Hmmm. Meanwhile, I'm only doin' the choppin', YOU'RE doin' all the cookin'!"

"So, tell me again just how YOU are cooking me dinner, then?"

"Hey, I marinated the shrimp, and I'm slicing the veggies the exact thickness for you to grill them correctly, and I'm making dessert! All you're doing is putting them on the grill and watching them brown!"

"I thought we were making dessert together."

Fran smiled at him. "OK, I'm busted!" She bounded up the stairs onto the deck and into Max's waiting arms. She caught a whiff of cooking steak. "Mmmm, that smells good! I'm gonna go finish the veggies so we can eat!" She kissed him gently and returned to the galley and her slicing. She brushed the vegetables with olive oil and handed the platter up to Max. "Are ya ready for the shrimp, too, sweetie?"

Max flipped the steaks. "I think so, Darling." He put the vegetables on the grill and reached for the shrimp. "Are you sure we'll be able to eat all this?" He already knew the answer to that question.

"How long you know me, anyway?" "The shrimp we don't eat, we can use in an omelet or a salad."

She continued to amaze him. She had become so comfortable in the kitchen. He couldn't wait to get her home so they could prepare meals together for their children. He'd never wanted to cook for them before...not since Sarah was alive. Fran had made them a family again. He loved doing things with Fran and the children, even before he could admit to himself how much he loved her, he treated her as his wife. Now, the next time she saw her children, they truly would be HER children.

"Max? Honey, did you hear a word I said? Are you feeling alright?" Fran was standing on the stairs frowning at him.

He stepped forward and kissed her forehead. "I guess I'm a little more tired than I thought, sweetheart, I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"It really wasn't that important. I was just going through the movies in the locker and found something you might like." She pulled out a stack of DVDs. "This is a series that was on the BBC when we, um, you were a little boy. The Prisoner. Did you eva see it?" She held up a box.

"The Prisoner? Yes, I loved that show when I was a boy. Niles and I used to watch it together. Is that what you want to watch tonight?"

"Sure, I've nevah seen it. It might be fun to see something from your childhood, besides Niles! Oh, I miss Niles, can we call home to say hello?"

Uh, oh...think fast Maxwell! "Oh, I, uh, spoke to him yesterday, and he's taking the time to visit some family out of town".

"Oh, I just haven't been able to tell him about our engagement. I promised him that when, uh, if you ever proposed I'd let him be the one to tell Miss Babcock." I think he's been pushing for us to get together harder than Ma." Max looked over at her and frowned. "OK, maybe not as much as Ma!" She giggled. "No one pushes as much as Ma! MA! We have to call Ma and Daddy!"

Oh, no, here it is. Now what? Dinner! "Sweetheart, dinner's ready. Why don't you wait until after we eat?" Good, now he could steer her away from the subject of home. He handed her the platter of steak and shrimp, then brought the veggies down with him. "Champagne, darling?" She nodded; her mouth was already full of shrimp. Max shook his head. "Hungry?"

"Sorry, sweetie, it just smelled so good, I couldn't help myself!"

Max popped the champagne and poured two glasses, and handed one to Fran. "To our future". Fran beamed at him. God, he loved that smile!

"Ready for the DVD? I'll start with the first episodes." Fran popped the DVD into the player and settled down in her seat. They sat and ate dinner while watching the old TV episodes. Fran cleared the table when they were finished eating, and snuggled against Max. "I love this show! I can't believe I never watched it when I was a kid!"

Max kissed the top of her head. "That's because you weren't old enough, darling." He grinned, knowing full well she was old enough, but playing along with her pretend age.

"Oh, yeah, that's right! C'mon, Fran, you almost blew it! Movin' on! She rubbed his thigh. "Ready for dessert?" She got up and pulled the strawberries and whipped cream out of the refrigerator. "Have I got a treat for you!" She put the berries into two bowls and drizzled chocolate syrup over them. She sat the bowls down on the table with two spoons, and started to cover the berries with whipped cream. She turned and looked at Max with a gleam in her eye. She took the whipped cream and squirted in onto his mouth, then proceeded to clean it off with her own. Max reached for a spoon, scooped up some berries with the toppings, and fed it to Fran, making sure he made a mess of her own mouth. He then returned the favor by cleaning the gooey mess off her face.

"I thought you were tired." Max picked up the whipped cream and covered the berries in his bowl.

"I'm not THAT tired!" She smiled at him and took a bite of her berries, licking the spoon. He took her into his arms.

"You DO drive me crazy, you know that?" He rubbed his nose against hers. "I have a surprise for you."

"Oooh, Max!" She wrapped her arms tight around him, pressing into his chest.

"I heard of a place that has the BEST Key Lime Pie in the area today." She looked up at him.

"Pie?" He definitely had her attention.

"The restaurant is called Flounders, it's over on Pensacola Beach, about three hours away. I thought we'd drive over tomorrow and stay the night. It would get us off the boat for a bit, and give us a chance to do some more exploring. We can drive back the long way along the coast and take the ferry outside of Mobile."

"Pensacola? Isn't that in Florida?" She didn't care where they went, as long as they were together. "It sounds great! It's only three hours away?"

"We can get up in the morning, have a nice breakfast, and be there in time for a late lunch." And it will keep her mind off calling her mother! "There's all kinds of shopping there, you can burn through another one of my credit cards!"

"Ok, let's go! It sounds like fun! Let me get these dishes done!" Fran jumped up from the sofa and headed for the sink.

"I'll help you, so we can get to bed faster." Max slid his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"Mmmm, looks like some little boy wants another dessert." She turned around and kissed him passionately. "Come to think of it, so does this little girl!" She kissed him again and turned around to clean up the dishes. Max dried the dishes and put them away as she handed them to him. Once they were done, he reached for the sash of Fran's robe and pulled it open.

"Come on, sleepy, time for bed." He pulled off her robe and tossed it onto the sofa, followed by his shorts.

"Who said I was sleepy?" He took her by the hand and led her to their bed. One day down, two to go. He could keep this surprise from Fran. He'll keep her so busy in Florida she won't think about anything but shopping and long walks on the beach. When she gets back to the boat, it will the day before her wedding, and her family will be on their way to see her.

Their lovemaking that night was slow and gentle, they spent hours trying to find new ways to please each other, to show each other just how much in love they were. They finally fell asleep, exhausted in each other's arms, dreaming of their future together.


	6. Road Trip

**Chapter Six**

**Road Trip**

Max takes Fran on a drive from New Orleans to Pensacola Beach, to keep her from finding out about the secret he has planned for her.

Max woke up just as light started to filter in through the curtains. He couldn't wait to get Fran over to Pensacola Beach to get her mind off calling home. He grabbed the coffee pot and started to make coffee, then thought better of it. He'd take her to Waffle House. That would get them underway faster. He'd made reservations at the Portofino Inn, right on the beach. He couldn't wait to get there and show Fran some more fun times. Now, just to get the sleepyhead out of the bunk. He walked to the v berth and shook Fran gently.

"Fran, sweetheart, time to wake up!"

One eye opened slowly. "Oh, it's barely light! What time is it?"

"Just past six." He backed away, anticipating being slapped.

"Oh, honey, come back to bed! It's too early for anything." She smiled at him. "Almost".

OK, she was awake. "Come on, Darling, time to get up, we're driving to Florida, remember?"

"Ma-ax!"

"I'll buy you pecan waffles." That should work!

"And bacon and eggs?" She batted her eyes at him

"Even orange juice, now get up." She was absolutely adorable when she was waking up. It reminded him of Maggie and Grace when they were little.

She stretched and slowly emerged from the bed. "What, you're not showered yet?" She rubbed her eyes. She couldn't believe he'd gotten her up this early.

"No, Darling, I knew the shower would wake you." Well, since he woke her anyway, that was the wrong thing to say.

She shot him a look filled with daggers. "How nice of you to shake me instead of letting the soothing sound of water falling wake me up!" She watched Max packing them an overnight bag for the trip. "I'm sorry, Sweetie, I'll shower first, maybe I'll be less cranky when I'm more awake." She kissed him before entering the shower.

Max listened to the water running, and inhaled the delicious smell of her soap and shampoo, fighting the urge to join her. He finished packing their bag as Fran emerged from the shower.

"I feel much, betta!" "You didn't pack my blow dryer did you?" She looked into the bag.

"No, I didn't pack it, the hotel has one already, so I thought we'd just leave yours here." "Check what clothes I packed for you and see if you want anything else. And, Darling, we're only taking ONE bag of clothes, so pack accordingly, would you?" He ran his hands through her wet hair. "You are so beautiful". He kissed her gently and disappeared into the shower.

Fran looked through the overnight bag. He'd packed her two dresses, two short sets, her bikini and cover up, and some long pants in case of cold weather coming through. She grabbed her white negligee and packed it along with the matching robe. The boat may be too small for such things, but the hotel sure won't! Fran breathed deeply, taking in the musky scent of Max's soap. Never had a man driven her so wild just by showering.

Max turned off the water and emerged in a towel. Fran had to turn away to fight the urge to push him right back into the bed. "Do we have a bag for the shampoos and soaps?"

Max handed her a small bag. "Here, this one's lined, in case anything leaks."

"Niles has me so spoiled; I'm not used to packing for myself!" She took the bag and filled it with their bath items. "I think I'll leave my curlers here" She looked at Max's shocked expression. "I know, I surprised myself, but if we're stayin' on the beach and gonna be in and out of the water and wind, leaving it straight will be easiest, don't you think?"

He'd seen how long she took to curl her hair and apply products to hold the curls. "Yes, Sweetheart, I think that's a good idea. We'll have more time for other activities."

"Mr. Sheffield!"

"I was talking about bike riding, wind surfing, swimming. What activities were YOU thinking of?" He asked her innocently.

"Oh, I was thinking about renting a wave runner or finding some good shopping spots!" She grinned at him. "Didn't you promise me I could burn up one of your credit cards?"

Max just shook his head. No one could shop like Fran Fine. Fran finished drying her hair and pulled it back with a headband. "Ready? I'm hungry!"

After a quick stop at Waffle House, they were on their way. As they drove through Gulfport, Mississippi, Max had to calm Fran down as they passed the large outlet mall.

"Max, Max! Look! Old Navy! Tommy Hilfiger! MAX! Turn off here!"

"Fran, Darling, we'll have plenty of time for shopping in Florida. There are shops all along the beach."

"But, Ma-ax!" Too late, they'd missed the off ramp, and Max looked over to see Fran begin to pout.

"Sweetheart, if you want to get settled in our hotel in time for lunch, we need to keep driving."

Fran nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. Oh, how she hated it when he was right! She closed her eyes and promptly fell asleep. She awoke when the car glided to a stop.

"Are we there already?" She looked around. There was a fighter jet on a pedestal in the parking lot.

"We're at the Florida state line. I'm going to pick up some brochures for us. Need anything?"

She stretched. "Yes! I need to move!" She got out of the car and headed inside. Max gathered brochures, and Fran spotted the free juice at the counter. She brought a cup to him.

"Look, honey, free Florida orange juice!"

He took the cup from her and laughed. "My darling, only you would find something free to put in your stomach. Now, look at these brochures and see if anything sounds interesting to you."

She took the stack from him. It all looked wonderful. She really didn't care WHAT they did, as long as she was with him. "How long till we get to the hotel?" She was getting hungry again.

"About thirty minutes, depending on traffic. Getting hungry?"

He knew her too well. "A little..."

"Ready to go?"

She was more than ready, bring on the beach! She grabbed his hand. "You bet!"

Thirty-five minutes later, they pulled up in front of the Portofino Resort. It was beautiful, their room overlooked the Gulf of Mexico. Max had booked a room on the 20th floor, so she could enjoy the spectacular view.

"OH, Max! This is absolutely beautiful!" She ran through the condominium. "But why do we have two bedrooms?"

"Because they don't have any one bedrooms. All 2 and 3 bedrooms."

"Three? Maybe we can come back again with the children?"

"That would be nice, wouldn't it? They have a great program for children in the summer, surfing and sailing classes, I think they would love it!"

Fran grabbed the bag and started unpacking. "So, where are ya takin' me for lunch? I'm kinda in the mood for a burger."

"How about Tiffany's on the Beach? It is supposed to have the best burgers around. Then tonight, I'll take you to Flounders for dinner and pie."

"Sounds wonderful!

They had a nice lunch on the patio of the restaurant, overlooking the water. Afterwards, their first stop was the Blue Moon Antique Mall. They found an armoire for the guest room and antique dolls for the girls. They picked up antique sports equipment for Brighton's room, and some antique glassware for Niles. The next stop was the row of shops on the beachfront. Fran dragged Max into Alvin's Island, where they picked up new swimsuits and cover-ups for Fran and the girls, and some new Tommy Bahama trunks for Max and Brighton. They wandered in and out of the shops, buying gifts for everyone at home. Fran found a beautiful sarong for C.C. and some local spices for Niles. She also grabbed a handful of postcards and bought some stamps. "We have to say hello to everyone! They'll think we fell off the planet, since we haven't even called!"

Oh, no, not the phone calls again! "You're right, the postcards will be nice. I'll help you fill them out after dinner."

She looked at her watch. "Do we have time for a swim on the beach before dinner?"

"Yes, if we hurry." They gathered their purchases, headed back to the hotel, and changed into their suits. When they hit the beach, Fran raced into the water. Max laid out their towels and followed her. The water was surprisingly warm. They dove and splashed around for about 30 minutes, and then they fell exhausted on the towels.

"Max, I'm having so much fun, but I do miss the kids. I almost wish they were here with us."

"We'll bring them down here later this summer, I promise, darling."

She smiled and lay on her back, letting the sun dry her body. She was almost asleep when Max nudged her gently.

"It's about time to go up and get ready for dinner."

"Mmmm, I'm ready. This sun feels so good!" She started to help Max gather their things and pulled on her cover up.

A couple of hours later, they were seated at Flounder's Chowder House. Fran was drooling over the menu. "Oh, Max, everything looks so good, I'm not sure what to order!"

About that time a waiter walked by with a food order. Max looked at it in disbelief. "Well, the portions are huge. Maybe we can each get something different and share? What do you feel like?"

"I can't decide between the grouper or the shrimp platter."

"How about I get the grouper, you get the shrimp, and I'll order us some oysters"

Fran nodded. The waiter appeared to take their drink orders. He suggested the Bushwhacker, a local favorite. When the drinks arrived, Fran was delighted. "It tastes like a chocolate shake!"

"Well, slow down, there's a lot of alcohol in that!"

Fran put her drink down and stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm only havin' ONE!"

Max smiled. She was just adorable. She was even more adorable when the food came. She picked from one plate, then another, devouring all the seafood put in front of her. How did she stay so bloody thin? Then came dessert. The Key Lime Pie was all that was promised, and more.

"Oh, Max, it's like three pieces!"

"Darling, it IS three pieces, stacked on top of one another."

"You wanna try?" She took a forkful and held it to his lips. She was right, it was delicious.

He watched her as she ate her pie, making slight moans and groans every other bite. She attracted the attention of the aviation officer cadets from the Pensacola Naval Air Station that were seated close to them. They couldn't take their eyes off her but her eyes were fixed only on him.

After dinner, they walked into the shops around the restaurant. They bought the kids some local t-shirts, and then walked along the beach before returning back to the hotel.

They changed their clothes, and decided to take a walk. They took off their shoes and walked along the surf along the Gulf. By the time they arrived back at the hotel, they were very exhausted.

They helped each other out of their clothes and into the shower. They bathed and caressed each other before making love in the shower. Afterwards, they dried each other off and Max carried her to the king size bed. As tired as they both thought they were, the excitement of making love in a new place gave them new energy. They slowly explored every part of each other's now familiar bodies with their hands and mouths. They made love repeatedly throughout the night, and the morning sun found them wrapped tightly in each other's arms.

As the sun hit her face, Fran opened her eyes and admired the view out the windows. She raised her head to get a better look.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?

"Max! I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry, Sweetie!"

"You didn't wake me. I've just been lying here listening to you breathe, thinking just how lucky I am"

She turned to face him and snuggled closer against his chest. "How lucky YOU are?"

He kissed her nose and held her tightly. "Yes, that you didn't get tired of waiting for me to admit I love you, and...leave me."

She kissed his chest, and traced circles on his bare skin with her nails. "I wasn't going anywhere. I was sure you loved me, and I KNEW I loved you, everybody knew that.

"Can you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, you were worth the wait. Anyway, you have the rest of our lives to make it up to me!"

"And I'll start by taking you to breakfast!"

"Oh, can't we just order room service and stay here a while longer?" She stretched out on the large bed.

"As enticing as that sounds, I have today all planned. Breakfast in Perdido Key at Trigger's, the locals swear by it. Then I thought you'd enjoy stopping at a beach party at a place called the Flora-Bama lounge. There's some big yearly event called a mullet toss."

"A mullet? Isn't that a haircut?"

"It's also a fish, they throw them across the state line in some sort of contest."

Fran laughed. "Like the fish markets at home! What else ya got planned?"

"Well, I thought we'd take the Mobile Bay Ferry across to Dauphin Island, and then drive home the long way, with a stop at the casinos in Biloxi."

Fran hopped out of bed. Where did she get all this energy? "I'll get a shower first, unless you want to join me?"

That was all the encouragement he needed. Max was out of bed and in her arms in a heartbeat. He swept her into the shower and began tenderly bathing her.

"Oh, Max, I'm gonna miss all this when we get home!"

"Miss what, Darling?"

"Well, we can't wake up together, or shower together, not with the children around. What kind of example would we be setting? We tell Brighton and Maggie, just say no, and then we don't." She looked at Max's smiling face. "Wha? What's that smile all about?"

Think fast, old boy, you can't very well tell her that her wedding is tomorrow night! "I was just thinking of all the times we'll have together during the day, when the children are in school."

"Oh, you mean with Niles and C.C. around. Uh, huh, those will be great times!"

"And we can still wake up together; it will just have to be earlier"

She snapped her head up and looked at him. Earlier? It was bad enough she had to be awake and at breakfast by 8:00am!

"That also means, we can go to bed earlier, like right after the children fall asleep." He nuzzled her neck. Oh, he had to get her off this topic, or he might slip and tell her she'd be a married lady by the time she got home. He started rinsing the soap from Fran's toned body. "There, all clean, my love. Why don't you go dry your hair, and I'll be out in a minute."

She started to protest, but hunger got the better of her. She ran her hands down his chest. "Don't be too long!" She bounced into the next room to dry her hair. What to wear? A beach party he said. She put on her bikini, then a pair of shorts and a cropped t-shirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, since they'd be taking the ferry boat. She looked at her face. She was really getting tan. She lightly applied her make up as Max entered the room. He slipped his arms around her waist from behind, and applied soft kisses to her neck.

"You look beautiful, Darling."

She held his arms to her and leaned back against him. "I love being here."

He kissed her again. "Then we'll have to make sure to come back".

She laughed softly. "No, not Florida." She squeezed his arms to her. "Here, in your arms. It's so safe." She turned around and put her arms around his neck. "I love you so much, Maxwell Sheffield!" She looked down at the towel around his waist. "Now, you'd betta get dressed, or I might not be able to control myself!" She gave him a gentle kiss and released him.

Thirty minutes later, they had checked out of the hotel and on their way. Trigger's was all that the locals promised. The omelets were huge, and stuffed with fish. Max had the triggerfish, and Fran chose the shrimp, with a side of pancakes, which were light and fluffy. They stopped at the desk and bought more t-shirts for the children on their way out. They parked at the visitor's center and took the trolley to the Flora Bama Lounge.

Both floors of the lounge were packed. Fran and Max made their way down the ramp to the beach. As they got to the landing, the girl staffing the signup sheet greeted them.

"Good morning! Welcome to the Flora Bama! Do you want to sign up for the mullet toss?"

Fran wrinkled her nose. No way was she touching some smelly fish, even if the event WAS for charity!

Max smiled at the girl. "No thank you, we're just here to observe."

"Oh, you're from England! We've never had anyone participate from England!" She stood up, revealing the tiniest pair of shorts he'd ever seen and a tiny bikini top. She batted her eyes at him "You've just GOT to enter!" Fran wanted to wretch. Did this girl think that just by wearing skimpy clothes and batting her eyes at Max, she'd get her way? She couldn't believe her eyes. He was filling out the entry form.

"Whatcha doin', honey?" Fran was less than pleased.

"Well, Fran, they've never had anyone from England before." He smiled at the girl. "I supposed it's the least I can do, after all, it IS for charity."

Fran's answer to him was to pull her t-shirt over her head, revealing an even tinier bikini top than the one he'd just been admiring, and she looked MUCH better in it. This was war. If he was gonna flirt with this wanna be Scarlett O'Hara, she was gonna find Rhett Butler on the beach. "OK, sweetie, you sign up, I'll be waiting for ya down on the beach. I'm gonna, uh, check out the scenery."

Max knew he was in big trouble, but there was no backing down at this point. He'd already signed up, and would have to make the best of it, and try to calm Fran down. He finished the signup sheet and looked for Fran. There she was, sitting on a chaise on the beach, surrounded by men in their mid twenties. Like flies to honey. He walked down and stood back and watched, she was laughing, flirting, like before they were together. He had to fix this, they were getting married tomorrow. He moved into her field of vision. She cut her eyes at him, and then looked back at the flock of men surrounding her. She smiled and spoke to them briefly, then got up and joined him. Max was livid.

"Fran..." he didn't know what to say he was so angry.

"Bye, C.C.!" One of the men walked past them on his way to the bar.

"C.C.?" Max looked at her.

"Wha? You think I'm gonna tell those sharks my real name? PLEASE! I'm an engaged woman!" She poked her finger into his chest. "Something YOU might want to remember, mista!" She grinned. How could he stay angry with her? She was just teaching him a lesson for flirting with the hostess.

He took her in his arms. "What if one of them looks up C.C. Babcock?"

"Did you SEE them? She'll owe me big time!" Fran laughed. "Come on, let's take a walk and look around before they call your number. I actually can't wait to see Mr. Big Broadway Producer throw a dead fish!"

They walked arm in arm up and down the beach, laughing each time they crossed the state line between Florida and Alabama.

When Max's turn to toss came up, he picked his fish from the bucket, and took his place in the circle. How did he get himself into these things? He stood in the middle of the circle, gripped the fish by the tail, and flung it into Alabama.

"Great toss! Maxwell Sheffield, from London, England! Get ready for your second toss, Max!" Max grabbed a second fish, and took his stance. He looked over at Fran, who blew him a kiss for luck.

"Break a leg, Sweetie!"

He smiled back at her, gripped his fish and tossed it with all his might. Well, that was that! He jogged over to give his cheering section a hug.

"Oh, Honey, don't even think about touching me with those fishy hands!" "Let's go get you some lemon and some soap!" The waiter at the oyster bar gave her a lemon and she pulled Max over to the bathrooms. "OK, first, rub this half of the lemon on your hand, then wash with soap, rinse, lemon again, then rinse, got it?"

"What's the lemon for again?"

She rolled her eyes playfully at him. "It cuts the SMELL! Now GO!"

Max emerged from the washroom after a couple of minutes, and held his hands out for inspection. "Better?" She sniffed. Lemon fresh!

"Better!" She put her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. "Come on, they're reading the results.

They listened to the announcer. "And in the male 26-39, in third place, with a final toss of 158 feet 4 inches, Tommy Luke. Second place, with a final toss of 161 feet 9 inches, Johnny Lane! And, our first place winner in the male division, age 26-39, with a final toss of 168 feet 11 inches," Fran held her breath. "From London, England, Maxwell, Sheffield!"

Fran was jumping up and down. "Max, Honey, you did it" She jumped into his arms and kissed him passionately. Max walked up and picked up his trophy and gift certificate. The trophy looked like a mullet. Niles would never let him live this down. OH, no, here comes that hostess again.

"Congratulations, Max! Are all you Englishmen so virile?"

Max saw Fran out of the corner of his eye. He knew he'd better think of something quick, or he was in deep trouble again. Luckily, Fran bailed him out.

"Well, next time you meet another Englishman, you can ask him...as for this one...absolutely YES!" She pressed herself into Max and gave him another passionate kiss, then smiled sweetly at the hostess. "THIS one's off the market, Honey!" She laid her left hand on Max's chest so the girl could see the engagement ring.

Max looked down at her and smiled. "Ready to go, Darling?" He put his arm around his fiancée and led her out of the bar. "You're something, you know that?"

"Why?"

"I was sure you'd be upset with that girl coming on to me!"

Fran laughed. "I was upset at first, but I think your payback was having to toss those stinky fish! Now you have this lovely trophy for your office to remind you! Oooh, and a gift certificate, we can come back with the kids and they can see where Daddy played with the little fishies!"

"You are really enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yes, because this time, it wasn't ME!"

They climbed into the trolley and headed back to their car. He was glad she was amused. It was keeping her mind occupied, and off calling home. Everyone would arrive tomorrow morning. He only had to keep her off the phone today.

As they headed west on 98, Fran started rubbing her stomach. "Sweetie, isn't it close to lunch time?"

He looked at his watch. "You're right, it is. Remember the other day when you wanted to go to Margaritaville?

She remembered, they'd gotten into a fight because some locals were hitting on her in the store. "Um, yes, sorta."

"Well, Jimmy Buffet's sister has a place right up the road in Gulf Shores; it has a lot of the same food. I was told that she serves key lime pie for dessert, and well as a 'chocolate of the day' dessert."

"Yes, let's do that!" She could use a good chocolate of the day!

Max turned off 98 onto 59, and crossed the Intracoastal Waterway. They could see Lulu's from the bridge.

"Oh, it looks like a lot of fun! Real tropical!"

They pulled into the parking lot and heard strains of Jimmy Buffet music coming from the restaurant. They were seated next to a large sandbox, complete with volleyball nets.

"It's like the beach! And look, all the sand toys! The kids would love this!"

Max smiled and nodded. She always thought of the children. That was just one of the reasons he loved her so much. "What are you hungry for, sweetheart?"

Fran's eyes were wide as she read the menu. "How about this seafood platter for two? And I can get a small salad."

"Sounds perfect."

The waitress came by and took their order. They both ordered the Mango tea, to go with the tropical feel of the place.

After lunch, Fran indulged her passion for chocolate, while Max decided to pass, and just nibble off Fran's cake. Afterwards, they headed back on 59 for the Dauphin Island Ferry. This took them from Ft. Morgan, Alabama to Dauphin Island. The 45-minute ride was beautiful, Fran excitedly watched the dolphins jumping around the boat. Once on the island, they took the bridge into Mobile, and headed back west on I-10 for Biloxi. Fran once again quickly fell asleep once they hit the Interstate, and awoke just before they pulled into the parking lot of the Beau Rivage Casino.

"Did I fall asleep again?" Fran blinked. What a stupid question, she KNEW she'd been asleep.

"Are you awake enough to do some serious gambling?" Max watched her straightening her hair and makeup.

"That depends on what you mean by serious." She grinned at him. He was so cute!

He took her by the hand and led her inside. They found the high in blackjack tables, and Max purchased a thousand dollars in chips. "Alright, Darling, dazzle me!"

"Max! I play the 2-dollar tables! This is a lot of money!"

Max laughed and whispered in her ear. "We can afford it, darling"

Fran played the table for about 2 hours, and turned her 1000 dollars into 5000 dollars.

"Oh, Honey, this is great, but I'm really ready to quit now!"

Max cashed in the chips and they headed back to the car. "This is probably a dumb question, but..."

"Yes, I'm starving!" She looked at him and laughed. Lunch was hours ago. "Maybe someplace with nice salads?"

Max stopped at Ruby Tuesday for a quick dinner before heading back to the marina.

Fran quickly unpacked the bag before collapsing on the sofa. "What a long day! And it's still fairly early!"

Max heard music dancing across the water from The Dock, a local restaurant. "Why don't you lie down for a bit, and I'll take you dancing at The Dock?"

Fran didn't need to be told twice. She was in the v berth before he finished his sentence.

"I'll wake you in about an hour, Darling". He kissed her head as she snuggled under the sheet. Fran was asleep within minutes. Max quickly grabbed the phone and called Violet's, the dress shop where he found Fran's wedding dress. Everything was set; the dress would be delivered to the steamship by 5pm. He looked at his watch. In twenty-four hours, he would make Fran his wife. He looked at his sleeping love. He didn't know how he'd be able to wait that long. He set the alarm clock in case he fell asleep himself, and crawled into bed next to Fran, drawing her into his arms. She automatically molded to his body, sighing in her sleep. Max smiled. Life could not be more perfect.


	7. The Wedding

**Chapter Seven**

**The Wedding**

7th installment of the New Orleans Saga. Max has a surprise wedding planned for Fran. Can he pull it off?

Still don't own these characters . Most of the locations mentioned are real. If you're in the area, check 'em out! At least I still own the boat!

For the first time since they arrived in Louisiana, Fran awoke first. She quietly stretched, kissed Max gently, and carefully got out of the berth. She could feel a gentle breeze rocking the boat. Moving slowly to the galley, she picked up the coffee pot and brewed the coffee for the two of them. She slipped on her bikini, pulled on a pair of shorts, and went outside and sat in the cockpit while waiting for it to brew. It was a beautiful day, just a few light clouds and a gentle breeze, with a hint of the coming summer in the air. She sat outside until the smell of the coffee drifted up to meet her, then went inside and poured herself a large mug. Max was still sleeping, so she popped in a Diana Krall CD, turned on the outside speakers, and climbed back into the cockpit to get some early morning sun with her coffee. She watched the sunlight dancing on the water, sparkling like a thousand diamonds. This was the first time she'd stopped to think about all the things that had happened in her life lately. She smiled. All she was supposed to do was come down to New Orleans, sign some papers, and collect an inheritance. No one said a thing about a sailboat, and she never expected her boss to tag along to keep her out of trouble. Now, here she was, sitting on the deck of her boat, while the man she loved more than her own life, now her fiancée, was sleeping peacefully inside. The boat rocked a little. Well, maybe he's not sleeping after all. She peeked inside to see him slowly getting out of the berth.

Max awoke to the gentle sounds of jazz. The smell of coffee brewing filled the air. He slowly opened his eyes and reached for Fran. Where was she? He couldn't believe she was up already. They'd been out dancing until late last night. Did she suspect something? He rolled over and looked out into the cabin of the boat. The cockpit door was ajar, she must be outside. He started to get up, and saw her smiling face peering in at him.

She bounded down the stairs to greet him. "Good morning, Sweetie!" She poured him a cup of coffee and planted a huge kiss on his lips.

"You're up awfully early!"

"I'm sorry, did I wake you? I tried to put the outside speakers on."

"No, Darling, you didn't wake me. But what a nice way to wake up, coffee, jazz, who's that, Diana Krall?

"Yes, I just love her!" "Get dressed, come outside with me. It's beautiful!" She tossed him his swim trunks. He pulled them on and followed her into the cockpit. He sat leaning on the bulkhead, and pulled her over to him. She sat in between his legs, leaning back against his chest. "Oh, Max! I wish we could stay like this forever. It's so beautiful here! Of course, we'd need a bigger boat for the kids. There's a big one on the next dock for sale!" She giggled. "Can you imagine us and the kids living on a sailboat, cruising away whenever we feel like it?"

"That's actually not a bad idea, Darling. I'm not suggesting we live on it full time, but what a great experience for the children."

She turned around to look at him. "Oh, yeah, they'd love experiencing sanding, varnishing, waxing. Haven't you ever watched Captain Ron? Wait, I think we have that movie downstairs, you are gonna watch that, mista, maybe it'll bring you back to your senses. The little boy in that movie reminds me SO much of B!"

"It's something for the family to discuss, anyway. Maybe leave it in the islands somewhere and fly down to use it. We could still keep this boat in New York for everyday use."

"Every day use? Do you really think you are gonna make time for sailing once we get home? That Diver Dave guy and his wife are gonna schlep this boat up there, and it's probably gonna just sit."

"Darling, it's YOUR boat, you know how to sail now, you'll have plenty of time." Oh, be quiet Maxwell, you're saying too much again. You have almost 11 hours until the wedding, and you're going to blow the surprise!

"OH, sure, between schlepping the kids around, running your errands, doing the shopping, I'm going to find time to go sailing."

"Well, we'll make time." Change the subject, Max. "So, I thought we'd head out to the mall today, do a bit of shopping. I've run you all over the place, maybe I can pamper you a bit. Maybe a facial, get your nails done, buy you some new clothes, new shoes. What do you say?"

"Really? You'd really go to the mall with me?" She turned around and wrapped her legs around him. "You are wonderful, you know that?" "So, what time does the mall open?"

"Nine, but there's an IHOP out there, feel like your favorite little pancakes with the pineapple smile?"

She hopped up. "You bet! I'll be ready in a few minutes!" She hurried down the stairs and into the shower. Nothing like a shopping trip to get that woman moving.

While she was in the shower, Max consulted the phone book. There had to be a day spa in this town. He found one, and called to make an appointment. He could get a couples massage, Jacuzzi, hair, nails and make up all done here. This would be there last stop before heading across the lake.

She emerged from the shower as he was hanging up the phone. "Who was that?"

Once again, he had to think fast. "Oh, that was Dave, he and his wife will be by to look at the boat in the next couple of days. They actually live in this marina, but they're out of town right now." Mental note, Max. Call Diver Dave!

"Oh, it'll be good to get the boat checked out before they sail it home. So, what should I wear?"

"Just put on something comfortable, you'll be trying on clothes. Maybe one of your sun dresses?"

"As long as you promise to behave yourself, mista!" She knew those dresses turned him on.

Max drove the back way to the mall, passing a quiet marina, nestled in a bayou. After stuffing herself with pancakes, Fran was in full shopping mode. After 2 hours, Max knew she must have found every bargain in Northshore Mall, but he had one stop of his own to make. He deposited her at Suncoast, with directions to pick out some new DVDs for the children. He hurried across the way to Victoria's Secret for a wedding night surprise for her. Not that she needed new negligees, but every bride deserves something special for her wedding night. He picked out a beautiful robe and gown set, and rushed back to join her in the video store. She eyed his package suspiciously.

"What's that?"

"A surprise."

"For who?"

"For you. For later. Now, no more questions, you don't want to spoil your surprise, do you?"

She pouted for a second, and then grabbed another handful of movies for the kids. "No, I guess not. Don't I even get a little hint?"

"Not even a tiny one. Are we done here?"

"I guess so, I think I've been in every store."

"I have another surprise for you, let's get these things back to the car." On the way to the car, he told her about the spa visit he'd planned for them. To say that she was thrilled would be an understatement.

"Oh, Max! It sounds so romantic! So relaxing! I tell ya, after the last few days we've had, this sounds like just what we need!"

He drove them to the Old Towne section of Slidell, where they easily found the spa. They were escorted to a private room with two tables. After changing into large fluffy towels, they were instructed to lay on the tables, where they were treated to a wonderful massage, with scented oils. Max couldn't help but chuckle as he heard gently snoring coming from Fran's table after a few minutes. She was definitely relaxed. Once their massages were complete, the technician opened a sliding door, revealing a large Jacuzzi tub. She lit the aromatherapy candles, and invited the couple to use the tub for washing off the massage oils. She laid two fluffy white robes over a chair, and pointed to a switch on the wall.

"Take your time, and when you're done, just flip this switch, and we'll come get you for the rest of your treatment".

Fran and Max entered the tub room, and the technician closed the door behind them. They removed their towels and Max helped her into the tub. He turned on the jets before he followed her. She was sitting on the far side of the tub, head back, eyes closed. Her hair was falling in ringlets around her face. He moved slowly over to her, and kissed her gently.

"Enjoying your surprise, darling?"

She nodded. "I gotta tell ya, honey, I didn't think you had this kind of surprise in ya!" She put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "You can surprise me any day!" She kissed him passionately, and as she did, Max eased them backwards. She sat on his lap, wrapping her legs around him as he slowly rinsed her with the warm, fragrant water. "Mmmm, Maxwell, I could get used to this!"

"We do have a Jacuzzi at home, darling."

"Yes, I know, but I've only been in it with you one time, and it sure wasn't like THIS!" She pulled herself closer and laid her head against his chest. "Yes, I could definitely get used to this!"

They sat cuddled close together for a few minutes, then slowly began rinsing the oils off one another, carefully caressing each other's bodies. Max was again kicking himself for holding her at arm's length for so long. He'd wasted so much time, well that was about to stop. He intended on spoiling his wife every day for the rest of their lives. He glanced over at the clock on the wall, and realized they were running out of time, they still had Fran's facial and their hair to get done. Max looked deep into Fran's eyes, and pulled her in for a passionate kiss, though both of them wanted more. "Sweetheart, I think it's time to get out, you're starting to wrinkle!"

She looked down at her hands and sighed. "Oh, I know, but I could just stay like this with you forever". Max climbed out of the tub and wrapped a towel around himself before helping Fran out. He slowly dried her off before helping her on with her robe. He changed into his robe, and flipped the switch, to notify the technician they were ready for the next phase of treatment.

They were led into the next room, where Fran received a deep pore facial, and Max was talked into an exfoliating facial. The technician talked Fran into having her hair done in long curls. Max had told the spa of the surprise wedding, so they chose a style she'd be able to work with herself. After Fran's hair was complete, they were served lunch, then Fran's makeup was applied. Max took this opportunity to call the Hilton to check on the family. Everyone had arrived and checked in. Niles was getting a huge bonus when they got home. Max returned to check on Fran. She was breathtaking, even more than usual. Today, she positively glowed, almost as if she knew it was her wedding day. She was going to be a beautiful bride.

As they got into the car to leave, Max told Fran of another surprise he had in store for her. "I thought we'd drive into New Orleans for dinner tonight, how does that sound?"

"Sounds great! Any place in particular?"

"No, I thought we'd head on across the lake and walk around, see what we feel like."

She snuggled close to him and kissed his cheek. "I like the way you think, Mista! Boy, you feel soft!" She reached up and caressed his face. This was not the same man she'd brought down here from New York. Must be something in the water in the south, she'd have to make sure she ordered some to take home. She laid her head on his shoulder, smiling as she sighed. "I love you so much, Max".

He laid his hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. "I love you."

Traffic was lighter than usual, so they made it across the bridges into the city in no time. Max pulled the car into a parking lot close to the French Market, on the opposite side of the Quarter from their hotel, so Fran wouldn't accidentally see someone she knew. Niles would collect the car later. They walked arm in arm through the streets, wandering into shops and galleries they'd missed on their last trip. Max bought Fran some beautiful vintage earrings that he knew would look perfect with her wedding dress. At fifteen minutes to five, his phone beeped. Max looked down and saw one word. Delivered. This was the cue from Violet's. The wedding dress was on the boat.

Fran looked at him. "Wrong number, honey?"

"Yes, yes, it must have been". He fumbled with the phone in his pocket to clear the message.

"Sweetie, hand me your phone a sec, I wanna call Ma. I haven't talked to her since we left New York." For the first time, Max didn't mind her calling home. No one would be there. She dialed and listened, then handed him back the phone, frowning. "They aren't home, Daddy must have taken Ma out to dinner. I'll try again later, remind me."

Max looked at his watch, it was time to get over to the pickup point for the horse and carriage. He led her up and down streets, pretended to shop, until they reached their destination. The carriage was already there. "How does a carriage ride sound before dinner? I know you didn't like the mules, but I thought this would remind you of home."

"You are just full of surprises today, aren't you? What am I going to do with you?" She lowered her voice and breathed into his ear. "Well, I know what I'm going to do with you when we get back to the boat tonight!" She kissed his cheek and squeezed his hand.

Max helped her into the carriage and climbed in beside her. The driver took them on a tour of the French Quarter, explaining the historical significance of several buildings along the way. Then he headed up Decatur, and turned on Toulouse St. Fran's eyes got wider as they got closer to the river. "Oh, look, Max, he's taking us along the river!" Then she saw the steamboat. She was like a little girl. "Oh, look a paddle wheeler!" The driver turned the carriage along the wharf and stopped in front of the steamboat. Fran's mouth formed a perfect 'O'.

Max stood up as the driver helped Fran from the carriage. He climbed out and gave her a gentle kiss. "I thought we might take a dinner cruise, if you're up for it." He held out his elbow to her.

"I don't know what to say! Yes, I'd love to take the dinner cruise!" She linked her arm through his as they boarded the boat.

They were met by the captain, who welcomed them aboard, and then introduced them to their cruise director, who was actually their wedding coordinator. Niles had taken care of every detail, making sure Fran was clueless until the last possible second. They were escorted to a private room, where they found champagne waiting for them. After Max toasted his bride, he opened the closet to reveal the dress. It was beautiful, beaded with lace, and it looked like something out of a fairy tale. As Fran inspected the dress, she heard the door open. She turned around to face her mother, grandmother and best friend. The four women jumped up and down and hugged each other

"Ma! What are you doing here? I just tried to call you and Daddy!"

Before Sylvia could answer, the door opened again, and Morty and a grinning Niles came in. "Max! What's going on?"

Max looked at everyone and nodded. They all yelled "Surprise!" This is when the wedding coordinator appeared with the bride's bouquet and the boutonnière for Max.

"Everything is ready, Mr. Sheffield." She stood smiling, waiting for the realization to sink in.

Fran's eyes filled with tears. "Max?"

He took her in his arms. "It's our wedding, Darling!"

She looked around the room at her family. "How...when?"

"I called Niles from the boat earlier in the week, told him what I wanted, and where I wanted it, and he made all the arrangements." He looked at his trusted friend. "I owe you big, old man!"

"My pleasure, Sir!" He still couldn't believe this was actually happening.

Sylvia ushered the men out of the room. "Now, let us get the bride ready, she'll see you in a few minutes!"

"Oh, Ma! I can't believe he did all this! He's been acting funny for the last few days, on the phone more, and trying to keep me busy so I wouldn't call home. And look at this dress! I saw this dress in a store in the Quarter! How did he know? And today, the spa, the facial, the hair, the makeup. I had no idea he could be so romantic!"

"Now, Fran, stop crying, your eyes will be all red for your wedding. When Niles called us, we were as shocked as he was. But then he explained everything, about how he tried to push you two together, and the boat. How could he help but admit he loves you when he's that close to you!"

The girls got Fran dressed and pulled up her hair, letting part of it fall in soft ringlets. They escorted her out to the area where the private ceremony was to take place. Max was waiting in his tuxedo. Did he look delicious, or what? It was a simple ceremony; Val was the maid of honor, Niles the best man. Fran was numb through the whole thing, she'd played it out so many times in her head, she couldn't believe it was real this time. Then she heard the words she'd dreamed of for so long.

"By the power vested in me by the State of Louisiana, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell Sheffield!"

She was married to the man of her dreams. Was this real? Max picked her up and twirled her around. "I love you, Mrs. Sheffield!" It sure felt real. They were escorted into a private dining room, where they found a beautiful wedding cake waiting, along with a delicious looking buffet. They were presented with souvenir champagne flutes for their toast. This was definitely real. After the pictures, the family sat down to their dinner, and Max was able to take Niles aside.

"What happened to C.C., didn't she come with you?"

"Yes, sir, she did, but she said she had something to do before the wedding, and she took a cab from the hotel. I haven't seen her since."

"Well, after dinner, see if you can find her, will you? She shouldn't be alone out there".

Niles smiled. C.C. Babcock could handle herself, he was sure of that. He was also pretty sure of where she was heading. "Of course, Sir, as soon as I retrieve your car."

Max rejoined his wife at the table. After dinner, they took a long walk around the deck, enjoying the view of the Mississippi River. The two hour cruise ended much too quickly for them, and it was time to head to the hotel.

"Oh, Max, I hate to leave everyone so soon, but we can't fit all of them on the boat!"

"That's why I booked us suites at the Hilton, right across the parking lot." He smiled at his wife. He'd never seen her look more beautiful. They walked hand in hand across the parking lot to the hotel. They stopped at the front desk to check in, and Fran smiled as Max signed the register as Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell B. Sheffield. He led her to the elevators and took her in his arms as the doors closed behind them. The elevator took them to the penthouse suite. As the doors opened, Max swept his bride into his arms and carried her inside. There was soft music playing, candles lit everywhere, and champagne chilling. Max deposited Fran on the bed and stared deeply into her eyes. "I love you so much, Mrs. Sheffield!"

"And I love YOU! I can't believe you did all this for me, for us. You are amazing, you know that?"

Max reached over and picked up a box from under the bed. "This is for you, my darling!"

She opened the box to reveal a beautiful nightgown and robe. "Oh, Max, it's beautiful! It's perfect!" She got up and moved towards the bathroom. "I'll be right back, sweetie!" She disappeared into the room and closed the door behind her.

Max began to change from his tuxedo into the robe the hotel had provided. He looked around the room. Niles definitely earned his bonus this time. He walked over to the window that looked out over the French Quarter. 'I hope Niles can find CC', he thought. 'I wonder what got into her today'.

Meanwhile, several blocks away, Niles was making his way to where he was sure he'd find Miss Babcock. He's walked over and retrieved Max and Fran's rental car, and parked it at the hotel, then headed for Pat O'Brien's Pub. C.C. had been talking about this place and its famous Hurricane drinks with a gentleman at the bar in the hotel. Shortly after that, she made her escape in a cab. She had to be there. He walked up St. Peter Street, and just as he crossed Bourbon, he heard a familiar voice coming from the piano bar. Oh, God, she was singing! He entered the carriageway and looked into the bar. There she was, sitting at the piano on the left. The servers were trying to coax her off the stage, but she wasn't budging. What on earth was she singing? Was that a Hank Williams Jr. song? Family Tradition? He made his way through the crowd and stood where she could see him.

"Butler boy!" C.C. grabbed the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce my best friend, Niles DeButler!" She stood up and tried to give him a hug, and collapsed in his arms. She steadied herself, and reached back up on the piano for her drink. "Wait, can't forget my fruit punch! Have you TRIED these?" She handed the drink to Niles, who took a sniff and realized these things were almost pure rum. As she left the stage, she received a standing ovation from the contingent of LSU students sitting in the back of the room. She took a bow, and stumbled over to her table in the middle of these children. God, she was old enough to be their mother! There were four empty Hurricane glasses on her table; he hoped she hadn't drank all of those herself! "Niles, Niles, come meet my friends!" She was throwing her arms around these college boys, making a total fool of herself.

"Miss... C.C., come on, come with me. Mr. Sheffield is looking for you. He's worried about you."

"He doesn't want me. He wants HER! It took me four years after Sarah died, and I was just making headway with him...then SHE came into our lives...with her tiny waist and her long legs, batting her big brown eyes at him, prancing around the house half dressed."

"I don't think she wants to go with you, Pops!" A young man in a LSU t-shirt stood up and stepped between C.C. and Niles.

Niles completely ignored the boy. "C.C., come with me, I'll buy you a drink!" She stood up and fell forward again. He steadied her, and then put an arm around her. "Come on, Brunette, let's get out of here!" She allowed him to lead her out the door and out onto St. Peter Street. She could hear music coming from several clubs.

"Dance with me, Tidy Bowl!" She turned and put her arms around him and began to dance in the middle of the street. She tried to pull him into the first dance club she saw. As they stepped inside, Niles knew he had to get her out of there. He looked around, saw the state of undress of the girls on the stage, and the sign that read "Amateur Night". No, indeed, this was not good. C.C. was already heading for the stage, unbuttoning her jacket.

Niles rushed over and spun her around. "Oh, no you don't!" He got a look at her white lace camisole and licked his lips. She was one beautiful woman! "Let's go find another club. I promise I'll take you dancing, just not here." As much as he loved playing jokes on her, this one would be just too cruel. He reached down and buttoned up her jacket, then smiled at her. "We don't want to scare anyone, now, do we?" He led her back out onto the street and headed towards the hotel. As they crossed Bourbon St., she pulled away from him and headed for the next dance club. The music was loud, and the dancers had spilled out onto the street. She pushed her way inside, Niles right behind her. She was definitely out of her element here; this was more of Fran's type of place. She turned around and stopped abruptly, causing Niles to run right into her. She grabbed him by his tie and pulled him onto the dance floor.

"Let's go, Servant!" She began imitating the dance moves of the other dancers, moving her body closer and closer into his. As she danced, she began moving her hands along his torso, down to his hips, pulling him into her. This was a C.C. Babcock he'd never seen. She was totally uninhibited, having the time of her life. Too bad she wouldn't remember a thing in the morning! After several dances, she was thirsty, and looking for another drink. Niles went to the bar and ordered her a fruit juice and soda. It tasted like a real drink, but would help to rehydrate her. He also got some aspirin from the bartender. He knew she'd need to get a head start on her hangover. A couple of hours later, she was bored with this club, and let Niles out onto Bourbon Street, looking for more action. She pulled him into the Panda Bear, and suggestively showed him several of the naughty outfits hanging on the wall. He saw a sign for the leather shop upstairs.

"Come on, Babcock, let's go upstairs and have some fun!" He led her up the narrow stairs to the leather store. It was like taking a child into a candy store! She purchased a leather bustier, and had fun trying out the whips, although he was able to talk her out of that purchase, mainly for self-preservation. She decided to leave the bustier on with her skirt, and put her camisole and jacket in the bag. They went back downstairs, and Niles made a couple of purchases before they left the store. Right next door to the Panda Bear was another dance club, and before he knew it, C.C. was inside on the dance floor. He followed her in and joined her on the floor. She was amazing, she pulled him close while they danced, drawing a crowd and applause from the younger set. A couple of hours and several bottles of water later, she began to sober up a bit, and she walked off the dance floor and sat down.

"Oh, Niles, my head!" He produced two more aspirins from his jacket and handed them to her. She started to make a sarcastic remark, and then caught the sympathetic look on his face. "Thanks."

"Do you think you could manage something to eat?" She nodded, and looked down at her clothing.

"I didn't go out wearing this, did I?"

He held up her bag from the store next door. "No, you bought that next door a few hours ago. Very flattering!"

"It looks like something Nanny Fine would wear!" Then she remembered what set her off this afternoon. "I missed the wedding didn't I? Maxwell will be so hurt, but I just couldn't watch him marry someone else...again!" Large tears started to well up in her eyes. Niles actually felt sorry for her. She'd loved his boss for so long, first watched him marry Sarah, and stood by him during his mourning. Then she watched as Fran Fine came into his life, and he slowly fell in love with her. She knew it had been a mistake for him to come to New Orleans with that woman. Now, she'd lost him for a second, and probably, last time. "Oh, Niles, what's wrong with me?"

"I don't know what you mean! You're attractive, you're smart, you could have any man you set your sights on. You just chose to set them on a man who was not available. Didn't you see the way the men were looking at you tonight? It's time to get on with your life! Now, come on, I'll buy you dinner." He took her by the hand and led her outside. They walked quietly hand in hand through the French Quarter, looking for a place to catch a late night meal. They found Patout's Cajun Cabin open, and it looked like a nice place. There was a band playing authentic Cajun music, so they decided to go inside and try it out. They decided on the Paw Paw's Cajun Sampler for two, which gave them each gumbo, alligator boudin, jambalaya, crawfish pie, fried shrimp, and bread pudding, none of which either of them had tried before. C.C. couldn't get enough of the food. Niles started to tell her that she looked like Fran, the way she was eating, but decided that the evening was going well, and he wasn't going to spoil it. After dinner, they sat and enjoyed their coffee, and finally gave into encouragement from the band, and got up and played the rub-boards. When they finished, they were both laughing so hard they were almost crying. Niles took her hand and asked her "Who are you?"

She laughed. "I don't even know anymore! Niles, I'm really having a good time. Thanks for coming to get me!" She left her hand in his and squeezed it.

"What do you say I get you back to the hotel? Mr. Sheffield wants everyone to have breakfast together tomorrow morning."

"You're right. I can't avoid them forever. And I DO owe Maxwell an apology."

Niles stood up and helped her to her feet. "I don't think he's expecting an apology, he was just concerned about you, is all. So was I." He pulled her jacket out of the bag. "Do you want to put this on over that?"

She smiled brightly at him. "I thought you liked this!"

He returned the jacket to the bag. "I do, leave the jacket off!" He put his arm around her and led her towards the door, stopping to purchase a CD of the band. They walked arm in arm back to the hotel, and Niles escorted her to her room.

"Do you want to come in for a nightcap?" She hadn't seen Niles like this, so sweet, so caring, she really didn't want the evening to end. He knew he shouldn't, but he followed her into her room. She was in a vulnerable state, and not entirely sober, he didn't want to take advantage of her. She walked to the bar and poured them each a drink. She handed him his glass and touched hers to it. "Friends?"

"Friends."

"Niles, I really don't want to be alone tonight. Please stay with me, just hold me." She began to cry again. Here was another side of her he'd never seen before. He took her in his arms and held her close to him. There was no way he could leave her like this tonight.

Across the hall, Fran Sheffield stirred in her sleep. Her husband opened his eyes and watched his bride. He reached over and brushed the tendrils of hair out of her eyes. She was the most beautiful he'd ever seen her. He moved his fingers slowly down her face, causing her eyes to flutter open. Her brown eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "Hi, Mr. Sheffield."

"Hi, Mrs. Sheffield." He took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. Just two weeks ago, they had been in New York, and she was his nanny. Now, after a week in New Orleans, she was his wife. They'd made love before today, but now, as husband and wife, everything was different. He couldn't get enough of this woman. They made love between brief naps throughout the night, finally falling into a deep, exhausted sleep at close to 4am, dreaming of the rest of their lives together.


	8. Heading Home

I still haven't made enough money to buy these characters, just borrowed them for a while. No offense intended to the incredibly talented Ms. Drescher or Mr. Jacobson.

Special thanks to my incredible proofer and sounding board, and my favorite pirate wench for all her help, and for giving me a kick in the seat of the pants when I slow down.

**Heading Home**

**Chapter Eight**

The newlyweds were awakened by the sound of someone pounding on the door to their suite. Fran pulled a pillow over her head, while Max slowly got up and reached for his robe. "Who the bloody hell could that be at..." he looked over at the clock, "oh, at nine in the morning?"

"Fran! Fra-an!" The sound of Sylvia Fine's voice echoed through the hallway. She knocked again on her daughter's door. "Fran, Max, you're missing breakfast!"

Max opened the door to greet his mother in law. "Sylvia, good morning. Fran's still sleeping".

Sylvia walked over to the bed and pulled the pillow from her daughter's face. "No, she's not. She's just pretending. She did this every morning before school. Everyone is waiting downstairs. Well, not everyone, Niles and Miss Babcock aren't there yet."

Fran rolled over and opened one eye. "Ma, go down and order, we'll be down in a few minutes. What time does your flight leave?"

"We have to be at the airport by noon, so you need to get your touchas out of bed!"

"G'nug, Ma! Now, get out so we can get ready!" She pulled the sheet over her head.

Max led Sylvia to the door and assured her that he'd have Fran downstairs quickly, then returned to the bed to rouse his wife. "Alright, Darling, she's gone. How about a shower?" He pulled back the covers and scooped his wife into his arms, then carried her to the bathroom.

Across the hall, the noise in the hall had stirred C.C. from her sleep. She slowly opened her eyes and tried to focus on the figure sleeping on her sofa. "NILES! What are you doing in my room?"

He opened his eyes and got adjusted to his surroundings. "You don't remember? Not any of it?"

"I remember having a drink downstairs, and then I went to a bar with a couple of the men I met. I must have come up here to take a nap before the wedding. Oh, what time is it? If I miss the wedding, Maxwell will never forgive me!"

"It's 9:00 in the morning, the day after the wedding. Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield are across the hall enjoying their honeymoon." He looked at her leather bustier on the floor and continued. "You went to Pat O'Brien's bar and made a total ass out of yourself. You got drunk with the college boys, then, when I tried to bring you back here, you dragged me into several bars and danced half the night away."

"I did NO such thing!"

"Oh, yeah, then how do you explain THIS?" He reached down and picked up her bustier. It still smelled of her perfume.

"I didn't...I couldn't have. OH, I bet you had fun, telling everyone in Fran's family what a fool I was."

He walked over and took her hand. "I've told no one. I don't intend on telling anyone, who YOU tell, is YOUR business. Mr. Sheffield is aware you missed the wedding; I went to find you, to make sure you didn't get into trouble. You asked me to stay with you last night, so I slept on your sofa."

She looked into his deep blue eyes. "Thank you, Niles. I guess when it comes right down to it, you've always been a good friend to me."

"Why don't we get our showers, and I'll meet you back here and escort you to breakfast." C.C. nodded and headed towards the bathroom. Niles hurried to his room to get ready.

Everyone met in the dining room around 10:00. Max and Niles exchanged looks when Niles showed up escorting C.C. to breakfast. The families sat around and talked about the wedding, and the plans for when they all were back in New York. Fran seemed the most excited to go home. She missed her children, and couldn't wait to get home to them. The time passed quickly, and soon it was time to load everyone into the limo for the trip back to the airport. Fran, Val and Sylvia hugged and cried, and Max had to pry them apart. Max held his wife tightly as the limo was loaded with luggage and her family. They stood watching the limo until it turned the corner and was out of sight.

"Oh, Max, I'll never forget this. This was the most thoughtful, romantic wedding a girl could have asked for!"

"I'm so glad you were surprised, Darling! Niles and I have been planning this since I proposed. I was so afraid you'd call home and someone would slip. What do you say we go upstairs and get packed, check out, and take one last walk around the French Quarter? I'm sure there are a few things we missed."

"Sounds wonderful! I'm having so much fun here, but, seeing the family, makes me homesick at the same time. I can't wait to get back to our home and our kids."

"Tomorrow we meet with the couple that's taking the boat back to New York. We can leave the next day, if you like. That will give you a couple of days to settle in before the children come home."

"That would be great! I love our boat, but I love our home, too...and I can't wait to make love to my husband in OUR bed."

They finished packing and checking out of the hotel, and then took a long walk through the French Quarter. They stopped at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, now a bar, it was once the blacksmith shop of the pirate Jean Lafitte. That evening, they took a Haunted History tour, and saw where all the local ghosts lived. By the time they got back to the boat, they were exhausted.

That night their lovemaking was slower and more tender than ever before. Each of them made extra sure they had completely pleased the other. Afterwards, they fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. The next morning, Max woke first, and put on coffee for his wife. Once it was ready, he woke her with a steaming cup in hand, and a promise of one more trip to Waffle House for her favorite pecan waffles. They helped each other shower and dress, and then decided to walk the half mile to breakfast. When they returned, they found Dave the Diver waiting for them at the boat. Max introduced himself, and then introduced his wife. Fran smiled at this handsome man. He looked like Antonio Banderas. Dark skin, long dark hair, pulled into a ponytail. He wore a gold shackle and a diamond stud in his ear. When she questioned him about the shackle, he pointed to a redhead walking down the dock with what looked like a red fox. "My wife bought the earrings for me. She picked out the shackle because it was different, and the diamond was a hint." He introduced his wife, and then introduced the dog. "Her name's Zorra Roja, it means red fox in Spanish. She is the only dog adopted from the shelter to a boat." Fran reached down to pet Zorra, who licked her affectionately. Dave looked down at the sight. "She likes beautiful women". Max snapped his head up at that comment, while Fran just smiled. The diver's wife playfully smacked his arm "Would you behave! Sorry, I can't take him anywhere!"

The diver tried to recover quickly "Well, that's how Zorra picked you, honey".

His wife shook her head. "Nice save." She looked at Fran. "Sorry, he's such a flirt! That's how I met him in the first place back in high school. I was dating his best friend...and he kept flirting with me. Years later, we ended up together."

Fran smiled. "That's so romantic. It took Max and me a few years to realize we belonged together, too." She looked at her husband and blew him a kiss. He decided not to comment on that one, as he knew it would only get him in trouble.

The diver got busy cleaning the bottom of the boat, while the girls sat and sipped iced tea on the deck of the boat. Max was inside packing up as much as they could for the trip home. The girls decided that the four of them would go to dinner for a last night celebration. A friend of theirs was singing at a local restaurant, so the girls decided that the boys would love to go listen.

They met back at the boat later that afternoon, and then headed over to The Dock, where they listened to Joe Bennett. He sings much like Jimmy Buffet, writing his own tropical sounding music. They spent the evening dancing and singing along with his music. Fran liked the songs so well, that Max bought both Joe's CDs for her, and they bought his Pirates of the Vieux Carre t-shirt for Brighton. After dinner, the two couples headed back to the marina, and Max turned over the boat keys to Dave and his wife. Then the Sheffields spent their last night on their boat in Slidell.

They got up early the next morning, and headed for the airport. Fran was tearful at leaving, but Max assured her that this would be a place they would bring the kids for vacations for years to come. The flight home was uneventful, and they arrived at La Guardia ahead of schedule. They had two days to relax and spend some time alone as husband and wife before the children returned from camp. When the children arrived, their parents called them into the living room to tell them of the good news. There would be no more nannies in the house, just the family. They all went to dinner to celebrate, and Fran and Max gave the children all the gifts they'd brought for them, and showed them the pictures. The children went to bed that night dreaming of New Orleans, and their parents of their new lives together as a family.

THE END!


End file.
